Aneventsomewhatsimilar，butmuchlessauthentic，issupposedtohavehappenedafterthedeathofRomulus，who，inhislifeandcharacter，boresomeaffinitywithAurelian。Thethronewasvacantduringtwelvemonths，tilltheelectionofaSabinephilosopher，andthepublicpeacewasguardedinthesamemanner，bytheunionoftheseveralordersofthestate。But，inthetimeofNumaandRomulus，thearmsofthepeoplewerecontrolledbytheauthorityofthePatricians；andthebalanceoffreedomwaseasilypreservedinasmallandvirtuouscommunity。^3ThedeclineoftheRomanstate，fardifferentfromitsinfancy，wasattendedwitheverycircumstancethatcouldbanishfromaninterregnumtheprospectofobedienceandharmony:animmenseandtumultuouscapital，awideextentofempire，theservileequalityofdespotism，anarmyoffourhundredthousandmercenaries，andtheexperienceoffrequentrevolutions。Yet，notwithstandingallthesetemptations，thedisciplineandmemoryofAurelianstillrestrainedtheseditioustemperofthetroops，aswellasthefatalambitionoftheirleaders。TheflowerofthelegionsmaintainedtheirstationsonthebanksoftheBosphorus，andtheImperialstandardawedthelesspowerfulcampsofRomeandoftheprovinces。Agenerousthoughtransiententhusiasmseemedtoanimatethemilitaryorder；andwemayhopethatafewrealpatriotscultivatedthereturningfriendshipofthearmyandthesenate，astheonlyexpedientcapableofrestoringtherepublictoitsancientbeautyandvigor。
[Footnote3:Liv。i。17Dionys。Halicarn。l。ii。p。115。
PlutarchinNuma，p。60。Thefirstofthesewritersrelatesthestorylikeanorator，thesecondlikealawyer，andthethirdlikeamoralist，andnoneofthemprobablywithoutsomeintermixtureoffable。]
Onthetwenty—fifthofSeptember，neareightmonthsafterthemurderofAurelian，theconsulconvokedanassemblyofthesenate，andreportedthedoubtfulanddangeroussituationoftheempire。Heslightlyinsinuated，thattheprecariousloyaltyofthesoldiersdependedonthechanceofeveryhour，andofeveryaccident；butherepresented，withthemostconvincingeloquence，thevariousdangersthatmightattendanyfurtherdelayinthechoiceofanemperor。Intelligence，hesaid，wasalreadyreceived，thattheGermanshadpassedtheRhine，andoccupiedsomeofthestrongestandmostopulentcitiesofGaul。TheambitionofthePersiankingkepttheEastinperpetualalarms；
Egypt，Africa，andIllyricum，wereexposedtoforeignanddomesticarms，andthelevityofSyriawouldpreferevenafemalesceptretothesanctityoftheRomanlaws。Theconsul，thenaddressinghimselftoTacitus，thefirstofthesenators，^4
requiredhisopinionontheimportantsubjectofapropercandidateforthevacantthrone。
[Footnote4:VopiscusinHist。Augustp。227callshim\"primaesententiaconsularis；\"andsoonafterwardsPrincepssenatus。Itisnaturaltosuppose，thatthemonarchsofRome，disdainingthathumbletitle，resignedittothemostancientofthesenators。]
Ifwecanpreferpersonalmerittoaccidentalgreatness，weshallesteemthebirthofTacitusmoretrulynoblethanthatofkings。Heclaimedhisdescentfromthephilosophichistorian，whosewritingswillinstructthelastgenerationsofmankind。^5
ThesenatorTacituswasthenseventy—fiveyearsofage。^6Thelongperiodofhisinnocentlifewasadornedwithwealthandhonors。Hehadtwicebeeninvestedwiththeconsulardignity，^7
andenjoyedwitheleganceandsobrietyhisamplepatrimonyofbetweentwoandthreemillionssterling。^8Theexperienceofsomanyprinces，whomhehadesteemedorendured，fromthevainfolliesofElagabalustotheusefulrigorofAurelian，taughthimtoformajustestimateoftheduties，thedangers，andthetemptationsoftheirsublimestation。Fromtheassiduousstudyofhisimmortalancestor，hederivedtheknowledgeoftheRomanconstitution，andofhumannature。^9ThevoiceofthepeoplehadalreadynamedTacitusasthecitizenthemostworthyofempire。
Theungratefulrumorreachedhisears，andinducedhimtoseektheretirementofoneofhisvillasinCampania。HehadpassedtwomonthsinthedelightfulprivacyofBaiae，whenhereluctantlyobeyedthesummonsoftheconsultoresumehishonorableplaceinthesenate，andtoassisttherepublicwithhiscounselsonthisimportantoccasion。
[Footnote5:Theonlyobjectiontothisgenealogyis，thatthehistorianwasnamedCornelius，theemperor，Claudius。Butunderthelowerempire，surnameswereextremelyvariousanduncertain。]
[Footnote6:Zonaras，l。xii。p。637。TheAlexandrianChronicle，byanobviousmistake，transfersthatagetoAurelian。]
[Footnote7:Intheyear273，hewasordinaryconsul。ButhemusthavebeenSuffectusmanyyearsbefore，andmostprobablyunderValerian。]
[Footnote8:Bismilliesoctingenties。VopiscusinHist。Augustp。229。Thissum，accordingtotheoldstandard，wasequivalenttoeighthundredandfortythousandRomanpoundsofsilver，eachofthevalueofthreepoundssterling。ButintheageofTacitus，thecoinhadlostmuchofitsweightandpurity。]
[Footnote9:Afterhisaccession，hegaveordersthattencopiesofthehistorianshouldbeannuallytranscribedandplacedinthepubliclibraries。TheRomanlibrarieshavelongsinceperished，andthemostvaluablepartofTacituswaspreservedinasingleMs。，anddiscoveredinamonasteryofWestphalia。SeeBayle，Dictionnaire，Art。Tacite，andLipsiusadAnnal。ii。9。]
Hearosetospeak，whenfromeveryquarterofthehouse，hewassalutedwiththenamesofAugustusandemperor。\"TacitusAugustus，thegodspreservethee!wechoosetheeforoursovereign；tothycareweintrusttherepublicandtheworld。
Accepttheempirefromtheauthorityofthesenate。Itisduetothyrank，tothyconduct，tothymanners。\"Assoonasthetumultofacclamationssubsided，Tacitusattemptedtodeclinethedangeroushonor，andtoexpresshiswonder，thattheyshouldelecthisageandinfirmitiestosucceedthemartialvigorofAurelian。\"Aretheselimbs，conscriptfathers!fittedtosustaintheweightofarmor，ortopractisetheexercisesofthecamp?
Thevarietyofclimates，andthehardshipsofamilitarylife，wouldsoonoppressafeebleconstitution，whichsubsistsonlybythemosttendermanagement。Myexhaustedstrengthscarcelyenablesmetodischargethedutyofasenator；howinsufficientwoulditprovetothearduouslaborsofwarandgovernment!Canyouhope，thatthelegionswillrespectaweakoldman，whosedayshavebeenspentintheshadeofpeaceandretirement?CanyoudesirethatIshouldeverfindreasontoregretthefavorableopinionofthesenate?\"^10
[Footnote10:VopiscusinHist。August。p。227。]
ThereluctanceofTacitusanditmightpossiblybesincere
wasencounteredbytheaffectionateobstinacyofthesenate。
Fivehundredvoicesrepeatedatonce，ineloquentconfusion，thatthegreatestoftheRomanprinces，Numa，Trajan，Hadrian，andtheAntonines，hadascendedthethroneinaveryadvancedseasonoflife；thatthemind，notthebody，asovereign，notasoldier，wastheobjectoftheirchoice；andthattheyexpectedfromhimnomorethantoguidebyhiswisdomthevalorofthelegions。
ThesepressingthoughtumultuaryinstancesweresecondedbyamoreregularorationofMetiusFalconius，thenextontheconsularbenchtoTacitushimself。HeremindedtheassemblyoftheevilswhichRomehadenduredfromthevicesofheadstrongandcapriciousyouths，congratulatedthemontheelectionofavirtuousandexperiencedsenator，and，withamanly，thoughperhapsaselfish，freedom，exhortedTacitustorememberthereasonsofhiselevation，andtoseekasuccessor，notinhisownfamily，butintherepublic。ThespeechofFalconiuswasenforcedbyageneralacclamation。Theemperorelectsubmittedtotheauthorityofhiscountry，andreceivedthevoluntaryhomageofhisequals。ThejudgmentofthesenatewasconfirmedbytheconsentoftheRomanpeople，andofthePraetorianguards。
^11
[Footnote11:Hist。August。p。228。TacitusaddressedthePraetoriansbytheappellationofsanctissimimilites，andthepeoplebythatofsacratissim。Quirites。]
TheadministrationofTacituswasnotunworthyofhislifeandprinciples。Agratefulservantofthesenate，heconsideredthatnationalcouncilastheauthor，andhimselfasthesubject，ofthelaws。^12HestudiedtohealthewoundswhichImperialpride，civildiscord，andmilitaryviolence，hadinflictedontheconstitution，andtorestore，atleast，theimageoftheancientrepublic，asithadbeenpreservedbythepolicyofAugustus，andthevirtuesofTrajanandtheAntonines。ItmaynotbeuselesstorecapitulatesomeofthemostimportantprerogativeswhichthesenateappearedtohaveregainedbytheelectionofTacitus。^13
1。Toinvestoneoftheirbody，underthetitleofemperor，withthegeneralcommandofthearmies，andthegovernmentofthefrontierprovinces。2。Todeterminethelist，or，asitwasthenstyled，theCollegeofConsuls。Theyweretwelveinnumber，who，insuccessivepairs，each，duringthespaceoftwomonths，filledtheyear，andrepresentedthedignityofthatancientoffice。
Theauthorityofthesenate，inthenominationoftheconsuls，wasexercisedwithsuchindependentfreedom，thatnoregardwaspaidtoanirregularrequestoftheemperorinfavorofhisbrotherFlorianus。\"Thesenate，\"exclaimedTacitus，withthehonesttransportofapatriot，\"understandthecharacterofaprincewhomtheyhavechosen。\"3。Toappointtheproconsulsandpresidentsoftheprovinces，andtoconferonallthemagistratestheirciviljurisdiction。4。Toreceiveappealsthroughtheintermediateofficeofthepraefectofthecityfromallthetribunalsoftheempire。5。Togiveforceandvalidity，bytheirdecrees，tosuchastheyshouldapproveoftheemperor\'sedicts。
6。Totheseseveralbranchesofauthoritywemayaddsomeinspectionoverthefinances，since，eveninthesternreignofAurelian，itwasintheirpowertodivertapartoftherevenuefromthepublicservice。^14
[Footnote12:Inhismanumissionsheneverexceededthenumberofahundred，aslimitedbytheCaninianlaw，whichwasenactedunderAugustus，andatlengthrepealedbyJustinian。SeeCasaubonadlocumVopisci。]
[Footnote13:SeethelivesofTacitus，Florianus，andProbus，intheAugustanHistory；wemaybewellassured，thatwhateverthesoldiergavethesenatorhadalreadygiven。]
[Footnote14:VopiscusinHist。August。p。216。Thepassageisperfectlyclear，bothCasaubonandSalmasiuswishtocorrectit。]
Circularepistlesweresent，withoutdelay，toalltheprincipalcitiesoftheempire，Treves，Milan，Aquileia，Thessalonica，Corinth，Athens，Antioch，Alexandria，andCarthage，toclaimtheirobedience，andtoinformthemofthehappyrevolution，whichhadrestoredtheRomansenatetoitsancientdignity。Twooftheseepistlesarestillextant。Welikewisepossesstwoverysingularfragmentsoftheprivatecorrespondenceofthesenatorsonthisoccasion。Theydiscoverthemostexcessivejoy，andthemostunboundedhopes。\"Castawayyourindolence，\"itisthusthatoneofthesenatorsaddresseshisfriend，\"emergefromyourretirementsofBaiaeandPuteoli。Giveyourselftothecity，tothesenate。Romeflourishes，thewholerepublicflourishes。ThankstotheRomanarmy，toanarmytrulyRoman；atlengthwehaverecoveredourjustauthority，theendofallourdesires。Wehearappeals，weappointproconsuls，wecreateemperors；perhapstoowemayrestrainthem—tothewiseawordissufficient。\"^15Theseloftyexpectationswere，however，soondisappointed；nor，indeed，wasitpossiblethatthearmiesandtheprovincesshouldlongobeytheluxuriousandunwarlikenoblesofRome。Ontheslightesttouch，theunsupportedfabricoftheirprideandpowerfelltotheground。Theexpiringsenatedisplayedasuddenlustre，blazedforamomentandwasextinguishedforever。
[Footnote15:VopiscusinHist。August。p。230，232，233。Thesenatorscelebratedthehappyrestorationwithhecatombsandpublicrejoicings。]
AllthathadyetpassedatRomewasnomorethanatheatricalrepresentation，unlessitwasratifiedbythemoresubstantialpowerofthelegions。Leavingthesenatorstoenjoytheirdreamoffreedomandambition，TacitusproceededtotheThraciancamp，andwasthere，bythePraetorianpraefect，presentedtotheassembledtroops，astheprincewhomtheythemselveshaddemanded，andwhomthesenatehadbestowed。Assoonasthepraefectwassilent，theemperoraddressedhimselftothesoldierswitheloquenceandpropriety。Hegratifiedtheiravaricebyaliberaldistributionoftreasure，underthenamesofpayanddonative。Heengagedtheiresteembyaspiriteddeclaration，thatalthoughhisagemightdisablehimfromtheperformanceofmilitaryexploits，hiscounselsshouldneverbeunworthyofaRomangeneral，thesuccessorofthebraveAurelian。
^16
[Footnote16:Hist。August。p。228。]
WhilstthedeceasedemperorwasmakingpreparationsforasecondexpeditionintotheEast，hehadnegotiatedwiththeAlani，aScythianpeople，whopitchedtheirtentsintheneighborhoodoftheLakeMoeotis。Thosebarbarians，alluredbypresentsandsubsidies，hadpromisedtoinvadePersiawithanumerousbodyoflightcavalry。Theywerefaithfultotheirengagements；butwhentheyarrivedontheRomanfrontier，Aurelianwasalreadydead，thedesignofthePersianwarwasatleastsuspended，andthegenerals，who，duringtheinterregnum，exercisedadoubtfulauthority，wereunpreparedeithertoreceiveortoopposethem。Provokedbysuchtreatment，whichtheyconsideredastriflingandperfidious，theAlanihadrecoursetotheirownvalorfortheirpaymentandrevenge；andastheymovedwiththeusualswiftnessofTartars，theyhadsoonspreadthemselvesovertheprovincesofPontus，Cappadocia，Cilicia，andGalatia。Thelegions，whofromtheoppositeshoresoftheBosphoruscouldalmostdistinguishtheflamesofthecitiesandvillages，impatientlyurgedtheirgeneraltoleadthemagainsttheinvaders。TheconductofTacituswassuitabletohisageandstation。Heconvincedthebarbariansofthefaith，aswellasthepower，oftheempire。GreatnumbersoftheAlani，appeasedbythepunctualdischargeoftheengagementswhichAurelianhadcontractedwiththem，relinquishedtheirbootyandcaptives，andquietlyretreatedtotheirowndeserts，beyondthePhasis。
Againsttheremainder，whorefusedpeace，theRomanemperorwaged，inperson，asuccessfulwar。Secondedbyanarmyofbraveandexperiencedveterans，inafewweekshedeliveredtheprovincesofAsiafromtheterroroftheScythianinvasion。^17
[Footnote*:OntheAlani，seech。xxvi。note55。—M。]
[Footnote17:VopiscusinHist。August。p。230。Zosimus，l。i。
p。57。Zonaras，l。xii。p。637。TwopassagesinthelifeofProbusp。236，238convinceme，thattheseScythianinvadersofPontuswereAlani。IfwemaybelieveZosimus，l。i。p。58，
FlorianuspursuedthemasfarastheCimmerianBosphorus。Buthehadscarcelytimeforsolonganddifficultanexpedition。]
ButthegloryandlifeofTacituswereofshortduration。
Transported，inthedepthofwinter，fromthesoftretirementofCampaniatothefootofMountCaucasus，hesunkundertheunaccustomedhardshipsofamilitarylife。Thefatiguesofthebodywereaggravatedbythecaresofthemind。Forawhile，theangryandselfishpassionsofthesoldiershadbeensuspendedbytheenthusiasmofpublicvirtue。Theysoonbrokeoutwithredoubledviolence，andragedinthecamp，andeveninthetentoftheagedemperor。Hismildandamiablecharacterservedonlytoinspirecontempt，andhewasincessantlytormentedwithfactionswhichhecouldnotassuage，andbydemandswhichitwasimpossibletosatisfy。Whateverflatteringexpectationshehadconceivedofreconcilingthepublicdisorders，Tacitussoonwasconvincedthatthelicentiousnessofthearmydisdainedthefeeblerestraintoflaws，andhislasthourwashastenedbyanguishanddisappointment。Itmaybedoubtfulwhetherthesoldiersimbruedtheirhandsinthebloodofthisinnocentprince。^18Itiscertainthattheirinsolenceswasthecauseofhisdeath。HeexpiredatTyanainCappadocia，afterareignofonlysixmonthsandabouttwentydays。^19
[Footnote18:EutropiusandAureliusVictoronlysaythathedied；VictorJunioradds，thatitwasofafever。ZosimusandZonarasaffirm，thathewaskilledbythesoldiers。Vopiscusmentionsbothaccounts，andseemstohesitate。Yetsurelythesejarringopinionsareeasilyreconciled。]
[Footnote19:AccordingtothetwoVictors，hereignedexactlytwohundreddays。]
TheeyesofTacituswerescarcelyclosed，beforehisbrotherFlorianusshowedhimselfunworthytoreign，bythehastyusurpationofthepurple，withoutexpectingtheapprobationofthesenate。ThereverencefortheRomanconstitution，whichyetinfluencedthecampandtheprovinces，wassufficientlystrongtodisposethemtocensure，butnottoprovokethemtooppose，theprecipitateambitionofFlorianus。Thediscontentwouldhaveevaporatedinidlemurmurs，hadnotthegeneraloftheEast，theheroicProbus，boldlydeclaredhimselftheavengerofthesenate。
Thecontest，however，wasstillunequal；norcouldthemostableleader，attheheadoftheeffeminatetroopsofEgyptandSyria，encounter，withanyhopesofvictory，thelegionsofEurope，whoseirresistiblestrengthappearedtosupportthebrotherofTacitus。ButthefortuneandactivityofProbustriumphedovereveryobstacle。Thehardyveteransofhisrival，accustomedtocoldclimates，sickenedandconsumedawayinthesultryheatsofCilicia，wherethesummerprovedremarkablyunwholesome。Theirnumberswerediminishedbyfrequentdesertion；thepassesofthemountainswerefeeblydefended；Tarsusopeneditsgates；andthesoldiersofFlorianus，whentheyhadpermittedhimtoenjoytheImperialtitleaboutthreemonths，deliveredtheempirefromcivilwarbytheeasysacrificeofaprincewhomtheydespised。
^20
[Footnote20:Hist。August，p。231。Zosimus，l。i。p。58，59。
Zonaras，l。xii。p。637。AureliusVictorsays，thatProbusassumedtheempireinIllyricum；anopinionwhichthoughadoptedbyaverylearnedmanwouldthrowthatperiodofhistoryintoinextricableconfusion。]