http://www.prisonersofeternity.co.uk/emperor-marcus-aurelius/
Marcus Aurelius, in full Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, original name (until 161ce) Marcus Annius Verus (born April 26, 121 ce, Rome—died March 17, 180, Vindobona [Vienna], or Sirmium, Pannonia) Roman emperor (ce 161–180), best known for hisMeditations on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius has symbolized for many generations in the West the Golden Age of the Roman Empire.
YOUTH AND APPRENTICESHIP
When he was born, his paternal grandfather was already consul for the second time andprefect of Rome, which was the crown of prestige in a senatorial career; his father’s sister was married to the man who was destined to become the next emperor and whom he himself would in due time succeed; and his maternal grandmother was heiress to one of the most massive of Roman fortunes. Marcus thus was related to several of the most prominent families of the new Roman establishment, which had consolidated its social and political power under the Flavian emperors (69–96), and, indeed, the ethos of that establishment is relevant to his own actions and attitudes. The governing class of the first age of the Roman Empire, the Julio-Claudian, had been little different from that of the late Republic: it was urban Roman (despising outsiders), extravagant, cynical, and amoral. The new establishment, however, was largely of municipal and provincial origin—as were its emperors—cultivating sobriety and good works and turning more and more to piety and religiosity.
The German Wars
Early in 169, the Marcomanni and Quadi crossed the Danube, penetrated the intervening provinces, and entered Italy. The culmination of their onslaught was a siege of Aquileia. The effect upon the inhabitants of the peninsula was frightful. This was the first invasion of Italy since the late second century B.C., when the Cimbri and Teutones had been separately crushed by Marius. Perhaps more vivid in the collective imagination was the sack of Rome by the Gauls in 387, when the city was saved only by the payment of ransom.
The two emperors hastened north, after a rapid mobilization of forces, which included the drafting of slaves, since the manpower potential of the empire had been so impaired by the consequences of the plague and the losses and troop commitments in the East. Verus died while in the north;[[11]]Marcus returned to Rome with the body and gave his brother full honors. He then turned north again and began his counterattacks against the barbarians. He did not know it at the time, but he was destined to spend most of his remaining years on the northern frontier. The only interlude was caused by revolt in the east.
We have no record of Marcus' ultimate intentions in these campaigns, yet the various stages were clear. First and foremost, the enemy had to be driven out of Italy and then into their own territory beyond the Danube. He strove to isolate the tribes and then defeat them individually, so that the ultimate manpower superiority of the empire and its greater skill in warfare and logistics could more easily be brought to bear. It was a successful strategy, as one tribe after another suffered defeat and reestablished ties with Rome. But it was a time-consuming and expensive operation, requiring the recruitment of two new legions, II Italica and III Italica, the construction of many new camps, such as the legionary fortress at Regensburg, with success accruing year by year. He intended to create two new provinces, Marcomannia and Sarmatia, thereby eliminating the Hungarian Plain and the headwaters of the Elbe as staging areas for invasion.[[12]]
This steady, slow progress was interrupted in 175 by the action of the distinguished general Avidius Cassius, governor of Syria, who claimed the empire for himself.[[13]] Whether he responded to a rumor of Marcus' death or, as gossip had it, conspired with Marcus' wife, the emperor's response was quick and decisive. Leaving the northern wars, he traveled to the East, but Avidius was killed before Marcus arrived in the region. After spending time settling affairs and showing himself to some of the provinces, with particular attention shown to Athens, where he was initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries, as Hadrian and Verus had been. He returned to Italy and soon answered the call to duty once more on the northern frontier. He took with him as colleague his son Commodus, now merely sixteen years old but already long since marked out as his father's intended successor. The military campaigns proved successful, but in the spring of 180, when Marcus died, at least one more year of warfare was necessary for the attainment of the grand enterprise. Marcus recommended to Commodus continuation of the war, but the new emperor was eager to return to Rome and the ease and luxury of the imperial court and entered into a peace agreement. Never again was Rome to hold the upper hand in its dealings with the Germanic tribes beyond the now reestablished borders of the empire.
Born 'Marcus Catilius Severus' on 26 April 121AD.
His father died when he was about three or four years old and he was raised by his paternal grandfather Marcus Annius Verus.
He was educated at home by a variety of tutors and became a great Philosopher.
After the current emperor Hadrian’s first choice as successor died, he named Aurelius Antoninus as his successor and he in turn adopted Marcus and Lucius Verus.
Marcus became the son on Antoninus at the age of seventeen.
In 140AD Marcus became consul and then in 145AD he married Hadrian’s daughter Faustina.
Hadrian died in 161AD and Marcus Aurelius became emperor. He made the decision to rule jointly with Lucius Verus and they became co-emperors.
Emperor (jointly with Lucius Verus) 161AD – 169AD
Their joint rule however was marred by war. During 162AD – 166AD Verus battled the Parthian empire for the eastern lands, while Marcus stayed in Rome to rule.
Following the successes of this war, the roman soldiers returned to Rome. They bought with them a disease that was to wipe out much of the population and lasted for many years.
Marcus and Verus fought further wars in the late 160’sAD with the Germans. It was during these wars that Verus died in 169AD of natural causes. Following his death Marcus decided to fight on.
Emperor 169AD – 180AD
While battling the Germans in 177AD, he formally made his son Commodus co-ruler.
Following this Marcus toured the eastern provinces with his wife until 173AD. He then attended a triumph in 174AD. His wife was to die in 175AD.
He went into battle again and marched on the Danubian frontier. He continued to fight, with the decisive victory being in 178AD.
To continue to secure further lands, he had planned to fight on, but he became ill in 180AD. Marcus Aurelius died on 17 March 180AD in the city of Vindobona (near modern day Vienna).
No comments:
Post a Comment