Marcus Aurelius - The Philosopher Emperor #17 Roman History Documentary Series

This video is sponsored by Ren Marcus Aurelius is perhaps best known for his meditations on the philosophy of the stomach and has long symbolized the golden age of the Roman Empire, but his reign also saw the beginning of the empire's decline; he was the last of the five. Good Emperors, Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and it is happening even faster than we feared, but we are far from powerless in the face of this global threat, which is why we are so proud to announce our sponsor for this video, ren ren is. a public benefit company with the mission of unlocking people's collective action against the climate crisis.

It's a simple and effective way to make a difference in the climate crisis. Ren is a website where you can calculate your carbon footprint and then offset it by funding a diverse initiative. combination of carbon reduction projects, such as tree planting, mineral weathering and rainforest protection, once you sign up to make a monthly contribution to offset your carbon footprint, you receive monthly updates on the projects you support, you can view what you spend your money on with photos and details. For every tree planted, every acre reforested, every ton of carbon offset, we find your community tree planting project especially important.

Pays subsistence farmers in East Africa to plant trees and sequester carbon. So far, this project has planted more than 20 million trees, helping to absorb tons of carbon. carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year and increase biodiversity. It will take a lot to end the climate crisis and you can start helping today by learning more at ren.co. The first 100 people to register will have 10 additional trees planted in their name. Check out the links below now let's go back to the video early life Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 AD. in a family that was part of Aniye Jens, which was widespread throughout Italy and the provinces.

His given name was Marcus Anius Verus. His family originated in the south. spanish province of baitica from a small town southeast of córdoba called ukubi

marcus

lost his father at a very young age not long after

marcus

was born probably in 124 during his father's prayer to send marcus was described as a solemn child From his earliest childhood Marcus who barely knew his father still had good memories of him, I would write this about his father many years later from my father's reputation and from my memory of him I learned modesty and virility due to the premature death of his father.

Marcus was adopted by his grandfather. who was a very distinguished man in the public life of Rome at the time, was consoled no less than three times, an enormous mark of honor considering that the sitting

emperor

at the time, Hadrian, held the office no more than three times. Marco remembered his grandfather later. in life and wrote that he learned from my grandfather varies good character and the avoidance of bad temper. Marcus Aurelius's grandfather was married to Rupilia Faustina, who was the daughter of Solonia Matidiya, who in turn was the daughter of Alpia, Trajan's sister, which made Marcus Aurelius great.

Trajan's sister's great-great-grandson, Hadrian himself, was probably linked to Aniye, perhaps through Matita, suggesting that Marcus was part of Hadrian's dynastic plan from the beginning. Salonia Matida was Hadrian's second cousin, Vibhia Sabina, daughter of Solonia Materia, was Hadrian's wife, it is probable. That these family connections to the throne certainly helped Marcus be recognized by Hadrian, who perhaps saw something of himself in the young Marcus. Hadrian had also lost his father at a young age and was raised by a prominent relative. In Hadrian's case, he was Trajan in his youth. years, Marcus would have been raised by his mother, Lucille Miner, the qualities of her that he remembered as having influenced him were religious piety, generosity, not only refraining from committing bad actions, but even thinking about them, simplicity in diet and being away from people's customs.

Rich from the beginning of his life, Marco caught the attention of Hadrian, who personally enrolled him in the order of actions when Marco was only six years old, and a year after Hadrian enrolled Marco again in the priestly college of the salients, he records that he fulfilled the various duties of the offices in the priesthood, being in turn the leader of the dance the vates which means prophet and the master of the order in this task had to initiate new members and formally dismiss those who left the order when Marcus was 12 years old. As an old man he adopted the clothing and a little later the habits of resistance of the

philosopher

.

He continued his studies dressed in a rough Greek cloak. He slept on the floor and it was only at the insistence of his mother that he reluctantly agreed to sleep on a little bed strewn with furs. Marcus's solemn and serious devotion to his studies impressed Hadrian, who took a great interest in his education from an early stage, as we have seen Hadrian playing on his name varus, which means true, truthful or genuine, he nicknamed him perisimus, which means truer The nickname stuck and has even been found on coins and in an inscription when Marcus was 14 years old he assumed the toga varilis, the toga of adulthood, he would discard the striped toga of his childhood and assume the white toga and simplicity of a man shortly after his entry into adulthood.

He was betrothed to Ceonius Fabia, daughter of Ceonius Commodus, at the request of Hadrian, probably in the year 136. Ceonius Commodus would later be named heir to the imperial throne, so it was a huge honor for the young Marcus Caeonius who never became

emperor

. However, as he predeceased Hadrian after the betrothal, Marcus was given a new honor: that of being prefect of the city during the Latins of the Fairy Eye during this time when he became close to the Comedy Sioniai family. . Marcus met a man who would have a great influence on his life, a Stoic

philosopher

called Apollonius of Chalcedon, Stoicism was now the fashionable school of philosophy and Apollonius was one of its main defenders and came to educate Marcus Heredis Atticus and Marcus Cornelius Fronto, who were two other prominent figures who were given the task of educating Marcus. in oratory wounds in Greek in whose language he stood out among all the men of our time for the seriousness, fluidity and elegance of his diction and Cornelius Fronto in Latin as an orator Fronto was highly appreciated in ancient times it was thought that only Cicero was surpassed in many of the Fronto's letters to Marcus have survived and give a rare insight into the education of a future ruler.

Fronto wrote a letter many years later in which he said that Marco used to walk in public with an overly serious face and used to read books in the theater. or at banquets Marcus' aunt Ania Galeria Faustina was married to Antoninus This Antoninus was now selected by Hadrian to become his successor on the imperial throne after the death of Ceonus Antoninus was selected because he was noble, gentle, tractable and prudent, who not young enough to do anything reckless or old enough to be negligent another anecdote records that antoninus was seen helping his old and venerable father-in-law anius varus marcus's grandfather up the steps of the senate adrian found this scene so moving that decided to adopt Antoninus, this reminded viewers of the legendary founder of the Roman race, Aeneas, who carried his father out of the burning city of Troy, Pius Aeneas, as described by Virgil, an epithet Antoninus would adopt upon his ascension the Purple Antonine was adopted on the condition that he, in turn, adopted the surviving son. by ceonius commodus lucius was now only seven years old and marcus marcus and lucius would now become emperors after the reign of antoninus, furthermore, antoninus' daughter faustina miner was betrothed to lucius and at hadrian's request, marcus and lucius changed their names upon being adopted into Antoninus' family.

Marcus changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus now commonly known as Marcus Aurelius Lucius took the name Lucius Aurelius Varus curiously taking the name varies from Marcus' family and not from his adoptive father Marcus Wood himself honors Lucius' family by naming his son many years later with the name of Lucius The previous surname Commodus Adrian requested in the Senate that Marcus should be exempt from the law that prohibited him from assuming the office of quaestor before reaching the age of 24, which was accepted. Marcus was only 17 years old at the time, despite all this fortune, Marcus still showed the same respect towards his relationships that he had when he was an ordinary citizen and was as thrifty and careful with his possessions as he had been when he lived in a private house and was willing to act, speak and think in accordance with the principles of his life.

Father Adriano died shortly after the adoption. He died in the presence of his adopted son on July 10, 138 AD. Almost immediately after Hadrian's death, Antoninus approached Marcus to dissolve his betrothal to Caeonius Fabia in favor of his own daughter. , Faustina Miner. Faustina Miner was However, through her mother, a first cousin of Marcus Lucius was already engaged to Faustina at Hadrian's behest. This has now been dissolved. Faustina was only eight or nine years old at the time, so the marriage had to wait several years. Marcus and Faustina finally married in 145. Marcus would have kept his first engagement with Sayonia it would not have been comfortable towards the end of Hadrian's reign he had become very unpopular in the senate so Antonin had to fight to ensure his deification Antoninus also reversed some Of Hadrian's most unpleasant decisions this ascension of Antony, despite initial embarrassments over the treatment of Hadrian's memory, was peaceful and stable in 139.

Antony took further steps to improve the dignity of his nephew and adopted eldest son. . Marcus was appointed consul in 140 and Antony would be his colleague in 139. Marcus was already questioned despite his young age, he acted as the emperor's own groom and read the emperor's letters to the senate when Antoninus himself was not present Marco was the heir apparent. At the time he was head of the equestrian order and during his consulship he also received the name Caesar he was appointed a member of the four main priestly colleges an ordinary senator could not hope to belong to more than one of these colleges at that time framework set his residence in the house of tiberius the imperial palace on the palatine hill in his meditations marcus wrote that antoninus helped him strip me of all my pride and made me realize that one can live in a palace and still not need bodyguards, uniforms embroidery, candelabras or statues that carry lamps and things like that, everything that comes with it. pomp and ceremony, but that one can live almost as a private citizen without thereby losing any dignity or being less active in the duties necessary to a prince in the name of the state.

His special role in Rome was evident and the implication was clear to all. Marcus was to be the next emperor of Rome in 145, again he was consoled, a rare honor for ordinary senators, and only at a fairly advanced age, Marcus was only 22 at the time, this time as the last his colleague was the emperor himself. That same year Marco married Antoninus' daughter Faustina in April 145. They had the first of 14 children in 147, a daughter named Faustina in honor of her mother, born on November 30 and the day after this occasion , on December 1st. He was granted the power of tribunation and imperium or authority over the armies and provinces of the emperor Marco's wife and Antoninus' daughter Faustina obtained the title of Augusta at this point Marco was essentially co-ruler along with his Marcus' adoptive father was supposedly only absent from Antoninus for two nights during the 23 years of his reign, as he was always together with Antoninus.

Marcus was never sent abroad to the provinces or to the army. In 149 they had twins, but both died in the childhood in the following years. They had another daughter and they named her Ania Aurelia Galeria Lucilla, she survived and would marry Marcus' adoptive brother and the future emperor Lucius Ferris Lucius shamelessly enjoyed the circus and gladiatorial games, unlike Marcus, who usually carried a book. with him to alleviate his boredom, little is known about Lucius in these early years, in fact, he does not emerge into the fullest light until after the death of Antoninus Pius, when part of his correspondence with Fronto is preserved in 156.

Antoninus Pius turned 70 and as As the emperor grew older Marco undoubtedly played an increasingly important role in the running of the empire in 160 Antoninus Pius may have been ill but Marco and Lucius were appointed joint consuls for the following year perhaps a deliberate precaution he finally succumbed after a brief illness on March 7, 161 AD. He records that his death was very sweet and like the softest dream, a peaceful death for a peaceful man. His reign was surpassed in length only by that of Augustus before him and he denied us reign for 23 years. the new emperors Marco was now the sole ruler of the empire, but during hisofficial recognition by the Senate he refused to be named emperor unless equal powers were simultaneously conferred on his brother Lucius Varus Marcus had shown some sign of reluctance to assume the burdens of the empire, whether genuine or not.

It was impossible to know that Marcus had been groomed for the imperial throne by Hadrian decades earlier, so he must have given the idea a lot of thought beforehand, but his appointment of Lucius as his co-ruler could have been seen as Marcus' way of lighten his own task with an imperial associate fronto wrote a letter to marcus against your will you must wear the purple imperial cloak, not the woolen cloak of the philosopher the names of marcus and lucius were altered after his ascension out of respect for the pious mark has adopted the surname antoninus becoming imperator caesar marcus

aurelius

antoninus augustus lucius renounced his comfortable name and took instead the name that marco had been born since his birth varies becoming imperator caesar lucius

aurelius

varus augustus for the first time in the Roman empire by the one who was ruledtwo emperors an innovation but an innovation with precedents the

roman

republic had been ruled by the twin magistrate of the consulate and many emperors before markus and lucio had shared power with a Vespasian junior partner and titus and mark had shared much of the imperial power with Antoninus during the last 14 years of his reign, but never before had there been two emperors equal in all powers, but not in oak tourists, Marcus was ten years older than Lucius, he had held the consulship more times and had shared imperial power with Antoninus, there was no doubt that For now, the first act of the emperors after the meeting of the Senate in which they had been granted their powers and titles was to go to the camp of the Praetorian Guard to secure their loyalty by a considerable donation equivalent to several years of payment in exchange the praetorian guards swore allegiance meeting with a military oath sacramentum their second act as emperors was to arrange for the deification of their adoptive father they had organized his funeral a funeral pyre was erected on the campus martius in the that the burned body was buried in the presence of the main dignitaries of the state its ashes were deposited in Hadrian's mausoleum a temple was built to honor the new deity in the forum the temple of antoninus and faustina has survived somewhat intact as the church of Saint Lawrence in Miranda a few months after his ascension Marcus's wife gave birth to twins during her pregnancy she dreamed that she was giving birth to two snakes one of them was more ferocious than the other she gave birth on August 31 and the children They were named Aurelius Fulves Antoninus and the future Emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus in honor of Pius and Lucius.

The omens were favorable except that his birthday was the same as that of the unbalanced Emperor Caligula. Problems in the East with shifting power in Rome. The Parthian Empire. to the east he became emboldened and launched an attack against the buffer state of Armenia to depose the friendly Roman king and install a man more favorable to Parthian interests Volagosis III King of Parthian installed his own candidate Pacorus a member of the Parthian royal family in the armenian throne this was a declaration of war against rome to deal with the problems in armenia always fell in the first instance to the governor of cappadocia at that time it was a man called sedatius severianis who decided to go to armenia probably misinformed thinking he could restore the situation alone and to gain military glory he was trapped by the party leader general kosros in elegia where savariana soon realized he could not win he committed suicide and his legion was massacred in the winter of 161-162 when news from the east reached In Rome the Syrians were in a rebellious mood as their governor had been defeated by the Parthian army.

Marcus and Lucius decided that one of them should go to war in person. It was decided that Lucius would go because he was physically robust and younger than marcus and better prepared for military activity You can watch our previous video on Lucius Varus to see the war in more detail, but suffice it to say that Lucius was able to win the war and burn down the palace in the capital of the Parthian empire. Stasifond Lucius had stayed away from the front lines and left. direct command of the troops to more experienced men other parts of the empire saw the invasion at the same time that the talking tribe crossed the border invading upper germany and ratia and another war threatened in great britain neither lucius nor marcus had previous military experience a deficiency in his The education that Antony must be responsible for in the war caused Marco much anxiety.

At this time he spent a four-day holiday in Alciam on the Etrurian coast, a famous holiday resort, but he wrote to his former fronto teacher that he could not relax because he was worried about the war and his brother Frantos sent letters to him. Marcus filled with historical analogies to show him that initial setbacks in war could turn into victories. Marcus also introduced new measures to reduce corruption and inefficiency in the provinces. Many cities around the empire were struggling. time to fill local council positions, Marcus appointed supervisors for those positions and lowered the criteria for citizens to fill those positions, increasing imperial administration, but the empire, in theory, should run more smoothly, dispatches soon arrived Reporting success in Armenia and Parthia, meanwhile, Marcus had to deal. with the legal matter related to the will of her great-aunt Matida who had just died, she had been enormously wealthy, she was a rich and childless old woman who had attracted a horde of parasites who had persuaded her to include them in the codicils of her will this created a complication as it meant that more than three-quarters of his estate was now inherited outside the family, violating Roman law, but if Marcus pressed the family's claims he would appear greedy.

Marcus couldn't make the decision, so he sent a letter to his brother and made her make the decision in 166 AD. Chinese annals recorded that in this year ambassadors from Rome arrived to the heavenly emperor and brought gifts. A gold medallion with markers has been found near Saigon, although no Roman sources record this event. These ambassadors were probably not officially sanctioned by the emperors, but rather independent merchants from Alexandria. As the situation in the east was being resolved and a new peace treaty was established with Parthia, there were more worrying signs among the Germanic tribes across the Rhine, the chattering tribe that had invaded Roman territories. had burned at least one border post Central Europe was in crisis and a war in the north could not be delayed much longer.

Lucius soon returned to Rome and was received with all the enthusiasm necessary for a conquering hero. Marco celebrated the triumph over Parthia together with his brother and both changed their title adopting the names armenicus parthicus maximus and medicus they also each received the title patter patriai father of the country it is recorded that lucius built a villa on the via claudia where he gave himself with enormous extravagance to orgies for many days in the company of his freedmen and friends of lower rank in whose presence he felt no shame in fact he even invited Marcus who came to show his brother his own way of life as worthy of respect and imitation he remained five days in that same villa and devoted himself all the time to judicial matters while his brother was at a banquet or preparing for a banquet, Lucius had brought with him more than just good news of conquest, he brought the plague now known as the Antonine plague that cannot be know. sure, but it seems that it was not the bubonic plague that would ravage Europe in later centuries, but rather measles or smallpox, but it was devastating and about two million people would succumb to the disease the northern war the situation in the north finally The predicted breaking point was coming to an end.

The tribes immediately beyond the borders of the Rhine and Danube had been under a Roman protectorate for a century and a half. They were now under pressure from their northern neighbors. Large population movements had occurred. begun far away in the eastern passage in central asia A large movement of nomadic peoples was taking place and pressure was increasing along the eastern border of the empire. The Goths were moving from Scandinavia to what is now Russia. This put pressure on the tribes bordering Rome and made them advance towards Roman territory in search of new lands and security. A Roman expedition to the north had long been planned, but the emperors were delayed in Rome because of the plague.

They had to calm the situation by performing certain rights and ceremonies. The emperors finally abandoned the capital in the spring of 168 AD. A war band of the Kwadi and Makamani tribes had penetrated the border and invaded northern Italy, besieging Aquilia. They seem to have dispersed when the two emperors approached and the Quadi king died at that time. They were eager for Rome to approve the election of the successor which had been the case in the old days. The emperors advanced towards the provinces of Pannonia which had come under the most pressure lately. They remained in Carnuntum.

The situation seemed to be under control. Marcus and Lucius returned to Italy. Heading to Rome but out of Altinium in northern Italy, Lucia suffered a stroke and died three days after Marco returned to Rome with his brother's body. The funeral took place as soon as Marcus returned to Rome and Lucius was deified. The plague would have greatly diminished imperial revenues from taxes, property, and troops who died. the disease had to be replaced. The 7th Claudia stationed at the top of Mosia at Vimenakium on the upper Danube recruited at least double the normal annual intake of recruits in 169 to fill the positions of legionnaires killed due to the plague and recent raids that had penetrated in the territory.

The borders revealed gaps in the defenses that had to be plugged. New legions had to be raised, which would increase expenses. To curb this pending economic crisis, Mark has held an auction of imperial properties at Trajan's Forum. Clothes, glasses, gold vases, statues and paintings of great artists were sold during the auction. Marcus realized that the new taxes would prove extremely unpopular and probably not very productive, so this imperial auction had more than a practical benefit. Another measure to strengthen the empire's finances was to devalue the currency, basically minting more powerless coins. to increase the supply of bullion, this debasement of the currency would set the precedent for future emperors who would leave the economy on the brink of disaster in future centuries, a fact Marcus Aurelius could not foresee the chronology of the next war throughout the ages.

Danube provinces now commonly referred to. As the Manic Wars scoreboard is notoriously complex because it relies on fragmentary and scattered sources, we will do our best to reconstruct the events as best we can, with Lucius's funeral taken care of and Imperial finances boosted. Marcus set off north once more. At the time it was unknown that heavy border fighting had occurred mainly on the borders of the Pannonia provinces, but when Marcus was sent from Rome, he would not return for seven years, leaving late in the campaign season and probably wintering in Sermium the following year. 170 a massive offensive campaign across the danube was planned, this offensive is not fully recorded anywhere so much of the campaign is gas work, but it appears to have met with disaster shortly afterwards, northern italy was again penetrated by the Marcomani and Aelia narrowly escaped capturing the The invasion was repulsed by Pompeions and Pertinax The future emperor Claudius Fronto, one of the generals who became famous fighting against Lucio's party in the war, died in 170 after several successful battles against the Germans and the sieges that he fell fighting for the republic until the last fronto he was governor of the three Dacian provinces and they had just taken control of the upper mosia probably due to the sudden death of their governor the situation was critical throughout Along the Danubian border it is reported that the invaders reached as far as Akira in Greece once the borders were broken they met with virtually no opposition, leaving them free to burn and plunder, it is likely that this was due to Marco's offensive campaign.

He had gathered a massive force for his expedition, leaving parts of the border under guard that were exploited by the northern tribes. Many cities and forts had been destroyed a sense of shock gripped the empire italy had not been invaded by a foreign enemy for hundreds of years in the winter of 170-171 marcus moved back to carnuntum he had realized that the macamani and His allies were the main enemy in 171 when Macamani attempted to cross the Danube and return home with his loot they were trapped at the river crossing whileThey were trying to escape their force was destroyed and the loot was returned to the provincials in 171 the Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and invaded Baitica a senatorial province, which meant it had no garrison to defend it victorious Alfidia a close friend of Marcus Aurelius was Sent to take command of the situation a young man who had gone to Baetica to serve as quaestor was redirected to Sardinia in his place.

This was Septimius Severus, the future emperor Marcus met with embassies from many of the hostile tribes and was successful in part, since some tribes were happy with the peace and others received money. Some of the tribes received lands in Desir Pannonia, Rosia, Germany and Italy itself. Considered the beginning of the barberization of the empire it was perhaps seen as a prudent measure to further stabilize the Roman economy by incorporating more taxable people. Diplomatic activity also continued in Dacia, which also had some success in neutralizing the tightwads in Le Cringes. With the situation along the border under control another offensive campaign against the Marcomani was planned for 1:72 a huge column survives in Rome depicting the war in the Piazza Cologna just off the ancient Via Flaminia The marble column measures 100 Roman feet high and is placed on a 40 foot pedestal and topped by a statue of the Emperor It is similar to the famous column of trajan representing his war in dacia we have a couple of peculiar details of this war one remembers an event when the

roman

s were surrounded by the quadi the quadi had surrounded them in a place favorable to them and the romans fought bravely with their shields close together the barbarians refrained from fighting hoping to easily defeat the Romans they were exhausted by the heat and thirst hit them from all sides but they could not get water from anywhere except themselves they were far superior in numbers therefore the Romans were in bad shape for exhaustion, wounds, sun and thirst they could neither fight nor retreat but were lined up and in their positions scorched by the heat when suddenly a great Many clouds rose and a great downpour burst upon them not without the help of the gods.In fact, there is even a story to the effect that Arnoffis, an Egyptian magician who was a companion of Marcus, had invoked by means of incantations several deities, in particular Hermes Aerious, and by these means brought the reign when the rain was pouring down at first, everyone turned their faces upward. and they let the rain fall into their mouths, then some stretched out their shields and helmets to catch it and not only took large gulps themselves but gave it to their horses to drink when the barbarians charged at them, they drank and fought at the same time Some of the already wounded actually swallowed the blood that spilled onto their helmets along with the water.

In fact, most of them were so eager to drink that they would have suffered severely from the enemy's attack if a violent hail storm and several lightning bolts had not struck the enemy in In fact, Marcus would later dedicate a temple to Hermes and depicted to the god on his coin that same year, so something along those lines could have happened, however unlikely it may seem. The so-called miracle of rain is also represented on the column of Marcus Aurelius. The downpour is. personified as a terrifying, semi-human figure with a grim face and a long beard whose hair melts in descending currents of water.

Christian writers such as Tertullian would later attribute this miracle to the Christian god rather than Hermes. Marcus was not present at this engagement and it is believed to have been only a minor engagement, not the entire Roman force and Eusebius' chronicle states that the Roman commander was Pertinax the future emperor at the end of the campaign season of 172. The victory of the Marcomani led Marco to impose a treaty on the Markimani. With severe restrictions, Marco and his son Commodus received the title of Germanic as a result of this victory, but the war was not yet over.

The war with the Quadi proved difficult. The Quadi refused to face the Romans in a pitched battle that favored the war. of guerrillas the legions had to adapt and were divided into smaller vexilations to better combat the quadi mode of warfare in the year 173 didious lilianus another future emperor launched a loquacious invasion of roman territories on the rhine border, massive revolutions broke out in egypt and the Armenian king installed by Lucius Varus was expelled. Avidius Cassius, a general of Lucius' Parthian War and governor of Syria at the time, was given an extraordinary command of the east similar to Lucius' power during the Parthian War to deal with the problems in the East in the next.

In 174, the Romans marched against the Quadi, where the Quadi deposed their pro-Roman king Fertius, who had been installed at the beginning of the war, and installed their rival Ariu Gases in his place. Marcus Aurelius refused to recognize him and returned deposed and exiled. Taken to Alexandria in late 174, the subjugation of the Quadi was complete and, in typical Roman style, they were forced to hand over hostages and provide auxiliary contingents for the Roman army and garrisons were set up throughout their territory. Twenty thousand men were stationed in forts in the territories of Each of the Quadi and the Makamani, the next stage of Marco's campaign was against the Sarmatian tribe.

Lasages. Very little is known about this part of the campaign, but Cassius Dio reports a winter battle on the frozen Danube that he probably considered a kind of military curiosity. In the winter of 173-174, at some point during the fighting of 174, the siegemen sued for peace, but it was rejected. It appears that Marcus Aurelius intended to make his lands a province, but the campaign of 175 was barely underway in early spring when the news arrived. Marcus came to know that the avid Cassius had raised the banner of rebellion and had been recognized as emperor in most of the eastern provinces, including Egypt, Cassius proclaimed himself emperor at the wish of Faustina's wife Marcus, because upon seeing that his Her husband had fallen ill and she expected that he would die at any moment.

Cassius Dio also reports that Marcus Aurelius was so physically weak that at first he could not stand the cold and even after the soldiers had gathered at his command he withdrew without addressing them. In other words, he ate very little food and always at night he couldn't take anything during the day except some of the medicine called Feriac. He took this not so much because he was afraid of something but because he suffered from a chest and stomach condition. He says that the practice of taking this drug allowed him to endure this and other diseases. This variac is a kind of antidote perhaps against poisoning, but it contained opium.

It was prescribed by the court physician, Galen, and even when Cassius received news that Marcus Aurelius was still alive, he kept the rebellion going. Marcus was weak and ill, he did not have much time left in this life and Commodus was only 13 years old at the time, too young to rule the empire. Commodus was in Rome when news of the rebellion reached the city, but he was sent with his father for his protection and was quickly proclaimed a man and full Roman citizen. Marcus made it clear that Commodus would succeed him if anything happened to him.

Cassius Dio recorded a speech by Marcus at that time if the danger had been only his personal danger. He would have been willing to raise the question between himself and Cassius before the army or the Senate and would gladly have ceded the empire to him without a fight if this had seemed to be for the common good because it is for the common good that I continue to work and suffer dangers and have I spent a lot of time here outside of Italy, although I am old and weak and cannot eat without pain or sleep without being disturbed.

Avidius Cassius had seven legions loyal to him, while Marcus Aurelius also had around 26 legions. As a Praetorian Guard, Marcus was clearly in a stronger position, perhaps Cassius moved to Egypt to take control of Italy's grain supply, but civil war was averted by a centurion who killed the usurper and Avidius Cassius's head. was sent to Marco. Aurelius Marcus was probably still campaigning against La Sigis when the news reached him. Cassius Dio records that, at the same time as the news of many victories over different barbarians, soon after Marcus was granted the title of Sarmatic conqueror of the Sarmatians, a practical step was taken.

In the form of a decree prohibiting any man from ruling the province of his origin, Avidius Cassius originated in Syria, the province he ruled after his rebellion, even if civil war was avoided, Marcus Aurelius decided to inspect the eastern provinces and ensure his loyalty once again. He chose Pertinax as Comez Augusti, a friend of the emperor, to accompany him eastward. The first part of the journey would have been by boat on the Danube before taking the road south through the Balkans towards Thrace and into Byzantium, crossing into Bithynia. Marco's route appears to be I have crossed central Anatolia to the east, first perhaps to Ankyra and then southeast towards the Taurus Mountains, at a small town called Halala in Cappadocia.

Faustina, the wife of Marcus Aurelius, died. Alala was renamed Faustiniopolis and the Senate deified it. The emperor continued south, but did not stop. In Antioch, where Cassius had lived for nine years, he instead continued in Palestine and Egypt, while in Egypt he behaved as a private citizen and a philosopher in all the schools and temples, in fact, everywhere in Alexandria he He met with Parthian ambassadors to ratify their peace. Following the treaty, it was finally time for Marcus to return to Rome once more, but he took Smith's route into Asia Minor from Athens. Cassius Dio reports that in Athens he bestowed honors on the Athenians and established teachers in Athens in all academic disciplines for benefit. of humanity and granted them an annual salary.

Marcus Aurelius returned to Rome in the late autumn of 176 and a triumph was prepared for the war in the north. Commodus was given imperium to travel with his father in the procession and was to be consoled in the following year. He was only 15 years old. The youngest consul in Rome to date. The triumph was celebrated on December 23. Only one rather strange detail is recorded. Marcus is said to have raced alongside the triumphal chariot in which his son sat at the circus Flaminius (this was to honor the spectators and Commodus presumably had to remain in the chariot to control the horses, yet some clearly found the scene quite striking.

Marcos was also voted as a triumphal arch by the Senate in honor of his victories because he surpassed all the glories of all the greatest empires before him, having annihilated or subjugated the most warlike peoples, perhaps he was also voted a column in this moment and the following year 177 Commodus was consoled and was also granted tribune power and the name of Augustus and all the other titles. The honors and powers of an emperor made him joint emperor with his father, his succession was now assured. A couple of legal rulings from this period of joint rule survived an interesting matricide case and his joint ruling was next, if you've figured it out. that alias prisius is so crazy that he is permanently insane and therefore was incapable of reasoning when he killed his mother and did not kill her under the pretense of being crazy, he need not worry about the question of how he should be punished as insane himself is a sufficient punishment, at the same time he should be kept in custody and, if he thinks fit, even with captain's chains, this should not be done as a punishment so much as for his own safety and that of his neighbor, if, however, As is often the case, you have intervals of sanity you must investigate whether you committed your crime on one of these occasions and are therefore not entitled to receive clemency on the grounds of mental illness, if so please refer the case to us so that we can consider whether He must be punished in accordance with the enormity of the crime if in fact he committed it within a rational interval, but as we know from his letter that his position with respect to place and treatment is such that he is in the hands of friends even in fact confined in their own house, what corresponds is to summon those who were in charge at that time and ask how they were so negligent and then rule in each case separately according to whether there is any excuse or aggravation for their negligence that is the object of the guardians of the insane.

It is simply to prevent them from harming themselves but from destroying others and if this happens there is some justification for blaming those who are somewhat negligent in their duties this decision is very well thought out and reasoned a measured decision Marcus Aurelius canceled all public debts just as Hadrian had done decades earlier, this suggests that the economy was recovering after the plague and the expansive war in the north, unfortunately, at the same time that the economic situation was showing signs of recovery, the situation in the Danube was worse. The deteriorating frame realized that his presence in the north was once again necessary.

Aurelio Víctor describes a remarkable scene. Marco was so outstanding for his wisdom, indulgence, innocence of character andliterary achievements, although when he was about to set out against the mark of money with his son Commodus, whom he had made Caesar, he was surrounded by a crowd of philosophers who protested that he should not undertake the expedition and battle before having set forth the difficulties and obscurities of the philosophical schools, so it was feared out of zeal for philosophy that the uncertainties The war would affect its security and the liberal arts flourished enormously during his reign, but I believe that it is the glory of the times when the two emperors They left Rome on August 3, 178 AD. for the second German expedition.

Marcus Aurelius, however, never returned. to the city in the campaign season of 179 supreme command in the countryside was assigned to Tarutians Paternus one of the two Praetorian Prefects and it is recorded that he won a battle that lasted a whole day but it is not recorded against which tribe the battle was fought. Cassius Dio records that the Sigi sent envoys and asked to be released from some of the terms they had agreed upon. They were granted some concessions so that they would not become completely disaffected, however, neither they nor Berry were willing to ally themselves with the Romans. until Marcus had given them assurances, but he would definitely see the war through to its conclusion, but they were afraid that he might make a treaty with the Quadi like he had done before and thus leave them with enemies on their borders. of many of the harshest parts of the peace treaty of 175 there was a huge Roman garrison in the land of the Quadi and Macamani since the previous war Marcus Aurelius had intended to turn these lands into two new Roman provinces, but in the early 180 Marco fell seriously ill. and he stopped eating when the army learned of the serious condition of their emperor, the men were deeply moved by pain, but they loved him like no other.

On the seventh day his condition worsened and only his son was allowed to see him. Marco asked him not to consider the end of the war as a tooth beneath his dignity, if he did this, it would seem like a betrayal of the interests of the empire, so he dismissed Commodus for fear that the illness would pass on the eighth day, Marco exhaled. his last breath. Breath died on March 17, 180 at the age of 58. He had ruled the empire for 19 years the exact cause of his death is unknown but the plague seems to be a strong contender or perhaps cancer, however Cassius Dier records that his death was caused intentionally by his doctors as I have been clearly told. , they had to gain the favor of Commodus and that Marcus knew that his son was somehow responsible.

Marcus Aurelius had been an exemplary leader in the opinion of his contemporaries. He had been the perfect emperor. The only fault against him is. his selection of his air modern historians praise his character, but are much less favorable because Marcus initiated trends that would eventually bring the empire to its knees, first, the debasement of currency and, second, the settlement of barbarians. Within Roman territory, his reign saw the beginning of an imminent threat to Rome, far away in the eastern steppe of central Asia, a large movement of nomadic peoples was underway and pressure was mounting along the eastern border. of the empire for the moment, although the problem seemed to be controllable. and the empire advanced prosperously on its way to the dead praise means nothing that does not need to be said and what is it to the living except some practical purpose in a short space of time the oblivion of everything will come to you and everything will be foreign to you Marco Aurelio Thank you very much for watching the video.

If you liked it, subscribe so you don't miss any of our future uploads. The next video in this

series

will be on Commodus.