When Antoninus Pius became Emperor in he announced that his successors would be his two adopted sons. Marcus was only seventeen at the time and was destined to be emperor of Rome at the age of 40. During Marcus adopted fathers reign he continued his education described by one of his teachers, Fronto, as an ‘intelligent, serious-minded and hardworking youth’. He was particularly interested in Diatribai ("Discourses") of who was a very influential philosopher at the Stoic school. As Marcus grew older he became more and more involved with his father’s work appearing by his side as consul in 140, 145 and 161. Then in 145 Marcus married the daughter of Antonius and his cousin, Annia Galeria Faustina, who gave him a daughter. A short time before Marcus received his first daughter he had the proconsular imperium and the tribunicia potestas bestowed on him, the main imperial honours.
When Antoninus died in 161 Marcus received the title of Emperor of Rome however he accepted only on the condition that his brother Lucius ruled alongside him. For the first time in Roman history, Rome had two Emperors- Augusti. Marcus changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus and Lucius changed his to Lucius Aurelius Verus.
The Wars
War in Parthia
In Asia, near what is now Iraq and Iran the Parthia Empire began a military campaign and successfully captured Armenia and Syria in 161 and 162 defeating the Romans in Cappadocia. The twin emperor idea proved useful as Lucius was sent off to deal with the threat in the east while Marcus remained in Rome to handle the political situations. The war went well but was very slow; however it was won by the Romans in 166 and the army returned home. However the celebrations didn’t last long as the returning army brought home a deadly illness called at the time as the: Antonine Plague.
Germania and Avidius’s revolt
Starting in the 160’s raids were launched on the northern borders of the Roman Empire by Germanic tribes. As most of Roman troops were in the east at the time a counter attack could only be launched in 167, just as one of the tribes crossed the Danube, destroyed a Roman army, and besieged in Italy. Unfortunately Lucius died early in 169 as a result of the illness he had contracted from his expedition in the east. Marcus ruled by himself and continued the attack on the barbarians. However just as the Romans had got the upper hand on the barbarians, Marcus called of the attack because a revolt led by Avidius Cassius. Avidius had heard that Marcus had been killed and so planned to become Emperor himself. Only and did not follow Avidius’s claims. When news broke out that Marcus was very much alive, Avidius’s own followers’ killed him and offered his severed head to Marcus who had now reached Parthia. Marcus declined, and once he had settled the situation set off again.
From 173 Marcus toured the eastern provinces with his wife, Faustina and declared himself the protector of philosophy in Athens. However upon returning back to Rome his beloved wife died after giving him 13 children. War still beckoned and in 177 Marcus returned to his campaign in Germania defeating the rebels in 178. While he was there he wrote his acclaimed work, the Mediations. He did so in order for his self improvement and guidance. However his planes to annex Bohemia were halted as he fell ill with chickenpox in 180 and died in Vienna. He left his son Commodus as heir to become emperor. Commodus’s succession was described as the end of the pax romana. His achievements in Germania were marked by a column dedicated to him in Rome