Marcus Aurelius Antoninus-Roman Emperor, 161-180 a.C.

Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (Latin: Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus; in epigraphs: IMP CAES M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG; Rome, 26 April 121 – Sirmium or Vindobona, 17 March 180), better known simply as Marcus Aurelius, was a Roman emperor, philosopher, and writer.

At the suggestion of Emperor Hadrian, he was adopted in 138 by his future father-in-law and uncle Antoninus Pius, who named him co-heir to the imperial throne.

Born Marcus Annius Catilius Severus (Marcus Annius Catilius Severus), he became Marcus Annius Verus (Marcus Annius Verus), which was his father’s name at the time of his marriage to his cousin Faustina, and then took the name Marcus Aurelius Caesar Augusti filius during the reign of Antoninus himself.

Marcus Aurelius was emperor from 161 until his death, which occurred due to illness in 180 in Sirmium according to his contemporary Tertullian or near Vindobona.

Until 169 he held the co-regency of the empire together with Lucius Verus, his adoptive brother and son-in-law, also adopted by Antoninus Pius. From 177, after the death of Lucius Verus, he associated his son Commodus to the throne.

He is considered by traditional historiography as an enlightened ruler, the fifth and last of the so-called “good emperors”mentioned by Edward Gibbon.

His reign was, however, marred by wars (the Parthian and Marcomannic wars), famines, and plagues.

Marcus Aurelius is also remembered as an important Stoic philosopher, author of the Colloquiums with Himself (Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν in the original Greek).

Some later emperors used the name “Marcus Aurelius” to accredit a non-existent family connection with him.