Tacitus – Roman Emperor: 275-276 A.D. Bronze Antoninianus 22mm (3.68 grams) Heraclea mint: 275-276 A.D. Reference: C 95 var. RIC 196. CBN pl. 96, 469. IMP C TACITVS INVICTVS P F AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. PRO – VIDEND – EOR Sol standing left, holding globe and raising right hand towards FIDES standing right, holding two standards; in lower centre field, star. In exergue, KHΔ.
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Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”) was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. In 274 the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults. Scholars disagree whether the new deity was a refoundation of the ancient Latin cult of Sol, a revival of the cult of Elagabalus or completely new.The god was favored by emperors after Aurelian and appeared on their coins until Constantine.The last inscription referring to Sol Invictus dates to 387 AD and there were enough devotees in the 5th century that Augustine found it necessary to preach against them. It is commonly claimed that the date of 25 December for Christmas was selected in order to correspond with the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun”, but this view is challenged.
In Roman religion, Fides was the goddess of trust.
Her temple on the Capitol was where the Roman Senate signed and kept state treaties with foreign countries, and where Fides protected them.
She was also worshipped under the name Fides Publica Populi Romani (“Public (or Common) Trust of the Roman People”). She is represented by a young woman crowned with an olive branch, with a cup or turtle, or a military ensign in hand. She wears a white veil or stola; her priests wore white cloths, showing her connection to the highest gods of Heaven, Jupiter and Dius Fidius. Her temple which can be dated to 254 B.C.E was near Jupiter’s temple in the Capitol.
Traditionally Rome’s second king, Numa Pompilius instituted a yearly festival devoted to Fides, and established that the major priests (the three flamines maiores) be borne to her temple in a covered arched chariot drawn by two horses. There they should conduct her services with their heads covered and right hands wrapped up to the fingers to indicate absolute devotion to her and to symbolise trust.[1]
Her Greek equivalent was Pistis.
Marcus Claudius Tacitus (ca. 200 – June 276) was a Roman Emperor from September 25 275, to June 276.
He was born in Interamna (Terni), in Italia. He circulated copies of the historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus‘ work, which was barely read at the time, and so we perhaps have him to thank for the partial survival of Tacitus’ work; however, modern historiography rejects his claimed descent from the historian as forgery. In the course of his long life he discharged the duties of various civil offices, including that of consul in 273, with universal respect.
After the assassination of Aurelian, he was chosen by the Senate to succeed him, and the choice was cordially ratified by the army. His first action was to move against the barbarian tribes that had been gathered by Aurelian for his Eastern campaign, and which had plundered the Eastern Roman provinces after Aurelian had been murdered and the campaign cancelled. His half-brother, the Praetorian Prefect Florianus, and Tacitus himself won a victory against these tribes, among which Heruli, which granted the emperor the title Gothicus Maximus.
Tacitus probably died of fever (according to Aurelius Victor, Eutropius and the Historia Augusta) – though Zosimus claims he was assassinated – at Tyana in Cappadocia in June 276.
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