Marcus Aurelius

As a boy he was adopted by his uncle Antoninus Pius on February 25, AD 138.

During his reign Marcus Aurelius was virtually constantly at war with various peoples trying to invade the empire. Main foes of the empire that days, were germanic tribes and Parths.

Marcus Aurelius is well-known as a Stoic philosopher; his Meditations, written in Greek, survive and continue to inspire. However, his son and successor Commodus was a particularly vicious example of imperial excess.

He died during the expedition against the Marcomanni in the city of Vindobona (today Vienna).

External links

• De Imperatoribus Romanis (http://www.roman-emperors.org/marcaur.htm).
• the e-text of Meditations (http://www.abacci.com/books/book.asp?bookID=1307)

See also: Roman Empire, Byzantine Emperors

Emperor Marcus Aurelius appears as a character in the 2000 film Gladiator, played by Richard Harris.