Marcus Aurelius

  • Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE) was a Roman Emperor and one of Rome’s greatest Generals, distinguishing himself in the Marcomannic Wars (165-180 CE).
  • He is known as the ‘Philosopher King’, and wrote a work called ‘Meditations’ influenced by the philosophy of Stoicism. The devastating Antonine Plague (165-180 CE) is named after him.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

  • NAME:
    • Marcus Catilius Severus Annius Verus
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’S DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
    • From 8 March 161 CE to 17 March 180 CE.
    • His brother by adoption, Lucius Verus, was co-Emperor between (161-169 CE).
  • FAMILY DYNASTY:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born 26 April 121 CE. Died 17 March 180 CE.
  • PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ PREDECESSOR:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ SUCCESSOR:
  • HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ FATHER:
    • Marcus Annius Verus
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ MOTHER:
    • Domitia Lucilla
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ WIVES AND CHILDREN:
    • Faustina the Younger (m. 145 CE)
      • 13 children including Commodus and Vibia Aurelia Sabina.
  • DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
    • He died of natural causes.
  • WHERE BURIED:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
    • He is considered to have been one of Rome’s Greatest Generals.
    • Marcus Aurelius is known as a ‘Philosopher King’.
    • He wrote ‘Meditations’: which are Thoughts and Writings addressed to himself, reflecting his belief in Stoicism.
    • The Antonine Plague (165-180 CE) was a devastatingly deadly epidemic which encouraged a series of Germanic Invasions called the Marcomannic Wars (165-180 CE).
    • The Chinese Records record a Roman Fleet arriving in China in 166 CE from ‘Andun, King of Daquin’ (Rome), five years after Antoninus Pius had died. However, this could have been sent by either Antoninus Pius or his successor, Marcus Aurelius, since both were called Antoninus.

2. GOOD OR BAD EMPEROR

  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ CHARACTER:
    • He was a philosopher who was interested in fairness.
  • MARCUS AURELIUS POPULARITY
    • He was seen as a fair and just Ruler.
    • Although at first he had no military experience, he came to be admired as one of Rome’s greatest Generals.

3. MARCUS AURELIUS’S EARLY LIFE

  • In 138 CE, after Hadrian died, his heir Antoninus Pius, immediately prepared Marcus Aurelius to be his own heir. Antoninus Pius insisted he marry his daughter, Faustina in 145 CE.
  • In 140 CE, and in 145 CE, Marcus Aurelius was made Consul, forcing him to learn how to address and debate with the Senate, and deal with Roman Law. He was given other senior Roles and Titles and obliged to live in the Imperial Palace and be a member of the Court.
  • His Tutor in Rhetoric was Fronto, who was considered to be as good at rhetoric as Cicero.

4. REIGN OF MARCUS AURELIUS

  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROMAN SENATE:
    • Marcus Aurelius showed great respect to the Roman Senate, requesting their permission before authorising expenditure.
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ MILITARY CAMPAIGNS/ REFORMS:
    • Marcus Aurelius was one of Rome’s Greatest Generals.

Roman-Parthian War (161-166 CE) under Lucius Verus

  • Marcus Aurlius’ brother, Lucius Verus was the Commander in the War against Parthia between 161-166 CE.
  • He captured Ctesiphon in 164 CE.
  • In 161 CE, the Parthian King, Vologases IV, invaded Armenia. A Roman Legion sent to Armenia to dislodge him was wiped out. The Syrian Army was then defeated and routed in another confrontation.
  • During the winter of 161 CE, Marcus Aurelius sent his brother Lucius Verus to Antioch to take command.
  • In 163 CE, Lucius Verus captured the capital of Armenia, Artaxata, and installed a new Roman Client King.
  • In 163 CE the Parthians occupied the Roman Client Kingdom of Osrhoene. which the Romans then reoccupied the same year.
  • By 165 CE, the Roman Army had moved back into Mesopotamia and advanced towards the Tigris, recapturing Fortresses and pushing back the Parthians. An army descended the Tigris, besieged Ctesiphon and sacked the city.
  • In 166 CE a Roman Army crossed the Tigris and ravaged the territory beyond.
  • This ended the Roman Parthian war, and Parthia did not go to war again with Rome until 58 years later in 224 CE.

Marcomannic Wars (165-180 CE)

  • The Marcomannic Wars were a series of Wars conducted between 168-180 CE by the Roman Legions against the Marcomanii, Quadi, and Germanic Tribes, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
  • The Germanic Tribes along both the Rhine and the Danube, possibly under pressure from the Great Migrations of the Goths into their territories, repeatedly invaded the Roman Empire, which was at the peak of its wealth and represented an opportunity to plunder.
  • In addition, the Antonine Plague devastated Roman military manpower between 165-180 CE, leading to a perception of weakness.
  • The Marcomannic Wars re-defined the Rhine and Danube to become heavily fortified Frontier Zones.
  • The Wars were a taste of the future Germanic Invasions to come over the three succeeding centuries, which ultimately succeeded in collapsing the Western Roman Empire

 

  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ DOMESTIC POLICY: TAXATION
  • MARCUS AURELIUS AND THE PROVINCES:
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ RELIGIOUS REFORMS:
    • Persecution of Christianity appears to have got worse under Marcus Aurelius, but this was from local Officials, rather than a directive from the top.
  • NOTABLE EVENTS DURING MARCUS AURELIUS’ REIGN:

5. MARCUS AURELIUS’ PERSONAL LIFE

  • CHILDHOOD:
  • PERSONAL INTERESTS:
    • Marcus Aurelius was a Philosopher, strongly influenced by Epictetus, the Greek Stoic Philosopher.

  • ‘Meditations’ by Marcus Aurelius:

    • Meditations by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, is thought to have been partly written whilst in Sirmium and also whilst based in Aquincum, Pannonia. In it he sets out his Stoic Philosophy.
    • It was written in 167 CE, in 12 books, consisting of guides to self awareness and self improvement. Marcus Aurelius wrote whilst he was staying at the Emperor’s Palace in Sirmium.
  • LANGUAGES SPOKEN:
    • Latin and Greek

6. CONSEQUENCES OF MARCUS AURELIUS’ REIGN

  • EXPANSION OR CONTRACTION OF THE EMPIRE:
  • Parthia:
  • Germany:
    • The Germanic Invasions were devastating, but Marcus Aurelius managed to hold the Rhine-Danube Frontier. However, from this moment onwards begins the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
  • ENRICHMENT OR BANKRUPTCY OF THE STATE:
    • In 168 CE he revalued the Denarius, but two years later was forced to devalue it to its previous level in order to pay for the wars.
  • MARCUS AURELIUS’ MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS:
    • He preserved the Eastern Frontier for another 58 years.
    • He preserved the Rhine-Danube Frontier, despite several devastating Germanic Invasions.

7. THE SUCCESSION

    • In 166 CE Marcus Aurelius named Commodus his son as Caesar and Heir.
    • In 177 CE he made Commodus co-Emperor alongside himself.

8. BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS TO VISIT

  • PALACES AND VILLAS:
  • MONUMENTS:
  • STATUES AND COINS:

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

10. IN FILM AND DVD

 

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