Most likely born in the south of modern France on the Mediterranean, Tacitus is one of the most famous Roman historians. Tacitus is best known for The Annals and Histories, covering the history of Ancient Rome in very minute detail, and he also wrote Germania, a fascinating description of the Germanic people as seen from the Roman point of view circa 100 A.D.
Histories, written around 100–110, covers the Year of Four Emperors following the downfall of Nero, the rise of Vespasian, and the rule of the Flavian Dynasty (69–96) up to the death of Domitian. Only the first four books and 26 chapters of the fifth book have survived, covering the year 69 and the first part of 70. The work is believed to have continued up to the death of Domitian on September 18, 96. The fifth book contains—as a prelude to the account of Titus's suppression of the Great Jewish Revolt—a short ethnographic survey of the ancient Jews and along with the works of Josephus is one of the few Roman accounts of Roman attitudes toward the Jews.
Tacitus wrote Histories about 30 years after the events depicted, in which four emperors (Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian) each took power in quick succession. As that year proved, imperial power was based on the support of the legions, so an emperor could now be chosen not only at Rome but anywhere in the empire where sufficient legions were massed.
This edition of Histories is specially formatted with a Table of Contents and images of Tacitus, the emperors he covered, and Ancient Rome.
