Marcus Aurelius

Names:

• 26 April 121: Marcus Annius Catilius Severus
• 17 March 136: Marcus Annius Verus
• 25 February 138: Marcus Aelius Aurelius Verus
• 139: Aurelius Caesar
• 7 March 161: Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus
• 17 March 180: natural death

Successor of: Antoninus Pius

Relatives

• father: Marcus Annius Verus
• mother: Domitia Lucilla
• married to: Faustina II
• children: Domitia Faustina; Titus Aurelius Antoninus; Titus Aelius Aurelius; Lucilla (married to Lucius Verus); Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina; Titus Aelius Antoninus; a son; Fadilla; Cornificia; Fulvus Antoninus and Commodus (twins); Marcus Annius Verus; Hadrianus; Vibia Aurelia Sabina

Early career

• 

  121 Born in Rome
• 128 Coopted in the college of the Salii
• 136 Engaged to Ceionia Fabia, daughter of Lucius Aelius; prefect of the Latin festival
• 138 Adopted by Antoninus Pius; new engagement to Annia Galeria Faustina, daughter of Pius
• 139 Quaestor; recognized as caesar
• 140 Consul
• 145 Consul II; mariage to Faustina
• 147 Tribunicia potestas

Main deeds

• 

  161 Consul III (with Lucius Verus II); succeeds Antoninus Pius; Lucius Verus co-ruler
• 161, Spring: the Parthian king Vologases IV attacks Armenia; outbreak of a major war; destruction of VIII Hispana (or XXII Deiotariana?); debasement of the denarius
• 162 Lucius Verus proceeds to the east
• 164 After Lucius Verus has recovered Armenia, both emperors accept the title Armeniacus
• 165 Outbreak of the Plague
• 166 Quinquennalia; Parthian triumph; both emperors accept the titles Medicus and Parthicus
• 167 Plague in Rome
• 168 Leaves Rome for a tour along the Danube; stay in Aquileia
• 169 Death of Lucius Verus; leaves Rome for war against the Germanic tribes

• 

  170 Directs the northern war from Carnuntum
• 171 Directs the northern war from Carnuntum; celebrates Decennalia
• 172 Directs the northern war from Carnuntum; accepts the title Germanicus
• 173 Revolt in Egypt, suppressed by Avidius Cassius; Didius Julianus defeats the Chauci
• 174 Begins Meditations; rain miracle (text); peace with the Marcomanni
• 175 Revolt and suicide of Avidius Cassius; concludes a peace treaty; accepts the title Sarmaticus; Marcus Aurelius and Commodus make a tour to the east; stay in Alexandria
• 176 Tour through Syria, Asia (death of Faustina II), Greece (initiation in the Mysteries of Eleusis), return to Rome; Germanic triumph
• 177 Commodus consul (with Marcus Peducaeus Plautius Quintillus) and made co-ruler; Romans defeat Moors; persecution of Christians
• 178 Unrest among the tribes along the Danube; Marcus Aurelius again to the Danube
• 179 Commodus consul II (with Publius Martius Verus II); continued war; debasement of the denarius
• 180 When victory is within reach, Marcus dies in Vindobona.

New legions

• II Italica
• III Italica

Buildings (Rome)

• 

  Column of Antoninus Pius
• Arch of Marcus Aurelius

Buildings (elsewhere)

• Arch of Marcus Aurelius, Oea (Tripoli)

Succeeded by: Commodus

Contemporary events

• 165 Execution of Justin Martyr
• 165 Peregrinus Proteus dies at the Olympic Games
• 166 A Roman embassy reaches China
• 177 Martyrs in Lyon; Irenaeus made bishop

Links

• biography included in the Historia Augusta
• Avidius Cassius
• Didius Julianus
• Helvius Pertinax

Marcus Aurelius and Faustina II (Mars and Venus)	Marcus Aurelius as a young man	Marcus Aurelius	Marcus Aurelius as a young man
Ephesus, Parthian Monument, Adoption of Marcus Aurelius	Rome, Capitol, Marcus Aurelius on horseback	Marcus Aurelius	Eleusis, Roman Square, Portrait of Marcus Aurelius