MARK AURELIUS(Marcus Aurelius) Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (04/26/121 - 03/17/180), Roman emperor from 03/07/161.

Born into a senatorial family of Spanish origin, at the request of Adrian in 138 he was adopted by his uncle Antoninus Pius, in 145 he married his daughter Faustina and in 146 he was proclaimed co-emperor. In 161 he ascended the throne and until 169 he ruled together with his sworn brother Lucius Verus.

The reign of Marcus Aurelius was marked by fierce defensive battles, marking the end of the relatively calm development of the era of the Principate. In 162, the uprising in Britain was suppressed and there were battles with the Hutts in the German Limes area. After the war with the Parthians (162-166), Armenia and Osroene became dependent on the Roman state. Returning from the campaign, the troops brought the plague into the Empire, which raged until 189. Invasions of the Marcomanni and Quadi in 166-167. resulted in a protracted defensive war on the Danube border. In 168-172. Roman troops under the command of Marcus Aurelius drove out the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes from Upper Italy, Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia and the Balkan provinces. From 172, the Romans intensified their offensive operations, but they were only able to establish control over part of the territory of modern Czechoslovakia and Eastern Hungary for a short period of time. Episodes of the Marcomannic War 171-175. depicted on the bas-reliefs of the 30-meter column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome.

The attempt to usurp supreme power by the governor of Syria, Gaius Avidius Cassius, in 175 and the uprising in Egypt again aggravated the internal political situation. In 176, Marcus Aurelius proclaimed his son Commodus co-emperor and shortly before the end of the war he died of the plague in Vindobona.

The internal policy of the emperor is characterized by the agreement of Marcus Aurelius with the Senate while simultaneously strengthening the state apparatus of the Empire and expanding its functions. Captured barbarians were not turned into slaves, but were left as colonies in special border settlements.

Marcus Aurelius studied rhetoric with Fronto and Herodes Atticus and from 146 began to show an interest in philosophy. He became one of the most prominent representatives of the late, eclectic Stoa. Under the influence of the teachings of Epictetus, ethics took a leading place in his philosophical reasoning. He called for unselfish love for others and for moral improvement. Happiness is achieved through knowledge of the natural law that rules the world and faith in its reasonableness. The human mind is of divine origin, and therefore all people are equal. Since Marcus Aurelius demanded that everyone fulfill his role in the place assigned to him by fate, he acted as an apologist for the existing system. In contrast to the philosophy of the ancient Stoa, he separated God from nature, approaching the views of Plato. During the war, the treatise “Alone with Myself” was written on the Danube border ( Greek. “Ta eis heauton”). This work has been very popular for a long time. A biography of Marcus Aurelius has been published in the Histona Augusta, and there is a statue in the Antique Collection of the State Museums in Berlin, and a bust in Dresden in the Albertinum. The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius (the only one to survive) stands in Rome on a pedestal built by Michelangelo in 1537 on the Capitoline Hill.

Marcus Aurelius received tribunician power and proconsular imperium, which meant granting him the status of junior co-emperor, December 1, 147 - Note ed. site.

Dictionary of Antiquity. Per. with him. - M.: Progress, 1989

Tribune power received 34 times (the first time on December 1, 147, then annually on December 10).
Emperor: I (upon gaining power, in 161), II (163), III (165), IV (166), V (167), VI (171), VII (174 ), VIII (175), IX (177), X (179).
Consul: I (140), II (145), III (161).

Wife:

Annia Galeria Faustina (Younger)

Children:

8 sons:

(1) Titus Aurelius Antoninus;

(2) Titus Aelius Aurelius;

(3) Titus Aelius Antoninus;

(4) name unknown;

(5) Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus;

(6) Lucius Aurelius Commodus;

(7) Marcus Annius Verus;

(8) Hadrianus;

6 daughters:

(1) Domitia Faustina;

(2) Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla;

(3) Annia Aurelia Galeria Faustina;

(4) Fadilla;

(5) Cornificia;

(6) Vibia Aurelia Sabina;

Names, titles, relatives are given by:
1995 Chris Scarre. Chronicle of the Roman Emperors. Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 2002.

Marcus Annius Catilius Severus, who went down in history under the name Marcus Aurelius, was born in Rome on December 26, 121 and was the son of Annius Verus and Domitia Lucilla.

Governing body

Marcus Aurelius learned a lot from his adoptive father Antoninus Pius. Like him, Marcus strongly emphasized his respect for the Senate as an institution and for the senators as members of this institution.

Aurelius paid great attention to legal proceedings. The general direction of his activity in the field of law: “he did not so much introduce innovations as restore ancient law.” In Athens, he established four departments of philosophy - for each of the philosophical movements dominant in his time - academic, peripatetic, stoic, epicurean. Professors were assigned state support.

Not having a warlike character, Aurelius had to participate in hostilities many times.

The Parthians invaded Roman territory immediately after the death of Antoninus Pius and defeated the Romans in two battles. The Roman Empire made peace with Parthia in 166. That same year, Germanic tribes invaded Roman possessions on the Danube. The co-emperors set out on a campaign against the barbarians. The war with the Germans and Sarmatians had not yet ended when unrest began in Northern Egypt ().

Philosophy

Marcus Aurelius left philosophical records - 12 "books" written in Greek, which are usually given the general title "Discourses on Self." Mark's philosophy teacher was Maximus Claudius.

At the center of his anti-materialistic teaching is a person’s partial possession of his body, soul and spirit, the bearer of which is a pious, courageous and reason-guided personality - a mistress (though only over the spirit), a teacher of the sense of duty and the abode of a searching conscience. Through the spirit, all people participate in the divine and thereby create an ideological community that overcomes all limitations. Marcus Aurelius tragically combined courage and disappointment.

Essays

• Reflections. Translation: Prince L. Urusov. Book 1882, Tula (pdf)
• Reflections. Translation: S. M. Rogovina (1885-1940) historian, philosopher

Predecessor: Antoninus Pius

Roman Emperor (before with Lucius Verus) -

Successor: Commodus

Famous contemporaries

• Lucius Artorius Castus (sometimes identified with King Arthur)
• Galen - famous surgeon, personal physician of the emperor, who made a number of important scientific discoveries

Links

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

• Marcus Aurelius Carus
• Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus

See what “Marcus Aurelius Antoninus” is in other dictionaries:

MARK AURELIUS ANTONINUS- (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus) (born April 26, 121, Rome - died March 17, 180, Vindobona, now Vienna) - Rome. emperor from the Antonine dynasty, philosopher, representative of late Stoicism, follower of Epictetus. He left 12 written in Greek. the language of volumes under... Philosophical Encyclopedia

MARK AURELIUS ANTONINUS- MARK AURELIUS ANTONIUS (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus) (04/26/121, Rome 03/17/180, Vindobona, Vienna), the last major representative of the Late Stoa, Roman emperor (from 161). Biography. Born into a noble family and was named Marcus Catilius Severus... Ancient philosophy

MARK AURELIUS ANTONINUS- (Markus Aurelius Antoninus; 121 180) Roman consul (from 140), Roman emperor of the Antonin dynasty (161 180), philosopher, representative of late Stoicism. Author of the memoir ‘Alone with myself. Reflections'. God at M.A.A. the fundamental principle of all things, the world... ...

MARK AURELIUS ANTONINUS- (Markus Aurelius Antoninus) (121,180) Roman consul (from 140), Roman emperor of the Antonin dynasty (161,180), philosopher, representative of late Stoicism. Author of the essay “Alone with myself. Reflections." God at M.A.A. the fundamental principle of all things... The latest philosophical dictionary

Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus- Bust from the Munich Glyptotek Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (26 April 121, Rome 17 March 180, Vindobona, now Vienna) Roman emperor from the Antonine dynasty. Philosopher, representative of late Stoicism, follower... ... Wikipedia

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MARK AURELIUS ANTONINUS- Roman consul (from 140), Roman emperor of the Antonin dynasty (161-180), philosopher, representative of late Stoicism. Author of the memoir Alone with Myself. Reflections. God at M.A.A. the fundamental principle of all things, the world mind, in which after the death of the body... ... History of Philosophy: Encyclopedia

Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus- MARK AURELIY, Antonin (161 180), nicknamed the philosopher, Roman. imp, appointed in 147, co-government imp. Antonina Piya. M.A. took the throne of Rome in 161. empires. Most of his activities are sti b. dedicated to the fight against the Germans. by the Hutt peoples... Military encyclopedia

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Books

• Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. Meditations, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Meditations are the personal notes of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, made by him in the 70s. II century n. e. They reflect the persistent desire of Marcus Aurelius to be guided in his... Category: Philosophy and psychology Series: Literary monuments Publisher: Nauka, Manufacturer:

Emperor-philosopher: Marcus Aurelius

Our life is what we think about it.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.

The figure of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus is attractive not only to historians. This man won his fame not with the sword, but with the pen. Two thousand years after the death of the ruler, his name is pronounced with trepidation by researchers of ancient philosophy and literature, because Marcus Aurelius left invaluable wealth to European culture - the book “Reflections on Oneself,” which to this day inspires philosophers and researchers of ancient philosophy.

The path to the throne and to philosophy

Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 into a noble Roman family and received the name Annius Severus. Already in his youth, the future emperor received the nickname Most Just.

Very soon, Emperor Hadrian himself noticed him, calm and serious beyond his years. Intuition and insight allowed Adrian to guess the future great ruler of Rome in the boy. When Annius turns six years old, Adrian bestows on him the honorary title of horseman and gives him a new name - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus.

At the dawn of his career, the future emperor-philosopher held the position of quaestor - assistant consul in the legal state archive.

At the age of 25, Marcus Aurelius became interested in philosophy, his mentor in this was Quintus Junius Rusticus, the famous representative of Roman Stoicism. He introduced Marcus Aurelius to the works of the Greek Stoics, in particular Epictetus. His passion for Hellenistic philosophy was the reason that Marcus Aurelius wrote his books in Greek.

In addition to philosophical notes, Marcus Aurelius wrote poetry, the listener of which was his wife. Researchers report that Marcus Aurelius’s attitude towards his wife was also unlike Rome’s traditional attitude towards a woman as a powerless being.

VIEN Joseph Marie
Marcus Aurelius Distributing Bread to the People (1765) Picardy Museum, Amiens.

Emperor-philosopher

Marcus Aurelius becomes Roman Emperor in 161, at the age of 40. The beginning of his reign was relatively peaceful for the Empire, which is perhaps why Emperor Marcus Aurelius had time not only for exercises in philosophy, but also for real affairs that mattered to the entire Roman people.

The state policy of Marcus Aurelius went down in history as an amazing attempt to create a “kingdom of philosophers” (here the Greek philosopher Plato and his “State” became the authority for Marcus Aurelius). Marcus Aurelius elevated prominent philosophers of his time to high government positions: Proclus, Junius Rusticus, Claudius Severus, Atticus, Fronto. One of the ideas of Stoic philosophy - the equality of people - is gradually penetrating into the sphere of public administration. During the reign of Marcus Aurelius, a number of social projects were developed aimed at helping the poor sections of society and education for low-income citizens. Shelters and hospitals are opened, operating at the expense of the state treasury. The four faculties of the Athens Academy, founded by Plato, also operated under the funding of Rome. During the years of civil unrest in the Empire, the Emperor decided to involve slaves in the defense...

However, the emperor was not understood by wide sections of society. Rome was accustomed to brutal gladiator fights in the Colosseum; Rome wanted blood, bread and circuses. The Emperor's habit of giving life to a defeated gladiator was not to the taste of the nobility of Rome. In addition, the status of emperor still required military campaigns. Marcus Aurelius had successful wars against the Marcomanni and Parthians. And in 175, Marcus Aurelius had to suppress a rebellion organized by one of his generals.

Sunset

Marcus Aurelius remained a lonely humanist among the Roman nobility, accustomed to blood and luxury. Although he also had suppressed uprisings and successful wars, Emperor Marcus Aurelius did not pursue fame or wealth. The main thing that guided the philosopher was the public good.

The plague came to the philosopher in 180. According to his doctor, before his death, Marcus Aurelius said: “It seems that today I will be left alone with myself,” after which a smile touched his lips.

The most famous image of Marcus Aurelius is a bronze statue of him on horseback. It was originally installed on the slope of the Capitol opposite the Roman Forum. In the 12th century it was moved to Piazza Laterana. In 1538, Michelangelo placed it on. The statue is very simple in design and composition. The monumental nature of the work and the gesture with which the emperor addresses the army suggests that this is a triumphal monument, erected on the occasion of victory, probably in the wars with the Marcomanni. At the same time, Marcus Aurelius is also depicted as a philosopher-thinker. He is wearing a tunic, a short cloak, and sandals on his bare feet. This is a hint at his passion for Hellenic philosophy.

Historians consider the death of Marcus Aurelius to be the beginning of the end of ancient civilization and its spiritual values.

Bronze. 160-170s
Rome, Capitoline Museums.Illustration ancientrome.ru

Marcus Aurelius and Late Stoicism

What are the services of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius to world philosophy?

Stoicism is a philosophical school created by Greek thinkers: Zeno of Citium, Chrysippus, Cleanthes in the 4th century BC. The name "Stoa" (stoá) comes from the "Painted Portico" in Athens, where Zeno taught. The ideal of the Stoics was the imperturbable sage, fearlessly facing the vicissitudes of fate. For the Stoics, all people, regardless of family nobility, were citizens of a single cosmos. The main principle of the Stoics was to live in harmony with nature. It is the Stoics who are characterized by a critical attitude towards themselves, as well as the search for harmony and happiness within themselves, regardless of external circumstances.

Among the Greek Stoics, Epictetus, Posidonius, Arrian, and Diogenes Laertius are famous. Roman philosophy dating back to the late Stoa, besides Marcus Aurelius, names the famous Seneca.

As illustrations, we can cite a number of quotes that will allow us to feel the strength of spirit of the only philosopher emperor in the history of Rome. It should be remembered that the author in his writings addresses himself primarily to himself. Stoicism as a whole cannot be called a moralizing teaching, although it appears so at first glance. However, the Stoic considered it his duty to begin changes with himself, so the notes of Marcus Aurelius are closer to a personal diary than to a teaching.

• Nothing happens to anyone that he cannot bear.
• The most despicable form of cowardice is self-pity.
• Perform every task as if it were the last in your life.
• Soon you will forget about everything, and everything, in turn, will forget about you.
• Change your attitude towards the things that bother you, and you will be safe from them.
• Do not do what your conscience condemns, and do not say what is not in accordance with the truth. Observe this most important thing and you will complete the whole task of your life.
• If someone insulted me, that’s his business, that’s his inclination, that’s his character; I have my own character, the one that was given to me by nature, and I will remain true to my nature in my actions.
• Does it matter if your life lasts three hundred or even three thousand years? After all, you live only in the present moment, no matter who you are, you only lose the present moment. We cannot take away either our past, because it no longer exists, or our future, because we do not have it yet.

Roman Empire under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus

In the autumn of 165 AD. e. A plague epidemic began in Seleucia, and most of the army fell ill. There was no point in thinking about continuing hostilities; the war ended, but Armenia and Mesopotamia remained in Roman hands. The returning army spread the plague throughout Asia Minor, Greece and Italy, and this epidemic turned into the greatest disaster of antiquity. Individual pockets of the epidemic remained until 189 AD. e. In the eyes of public opinion, the epidemic was a punishment for the plunder of Parthian shrines and the desecration of the Arsacid tomb.

Despite this disaster, both rulers in 166 AD. e. They celebrated the victories of their troops with great triumph and added “Armenian, Median and Parthian” to their titles. Along with the wave of Roman expansion, the activity of Roman embassies revived, as Chinese sources report that in 166 AD. e. A group of Roman merchants appeared at the court of Emperor Huang-Ti. True, this journey was episodic in nature, nevertheless it shows what prospects opened up for Rome.

In a phase of extreme exhaustion and paralysis of the Roman forces, which is compared to the situation after the suppression of the Pannonian revolt before the defeat of Varus, in 166 AD. e. The Roman Danube front was crushed. Great unrest in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. n. e. in this region have been outlined since the time of Domitian, so the defensive forces there received significant reinforcements. However, unlike the earlier battles, the invading neighboring tribes were now pushed back, and events were determined by powerful initiatives from deep within the north-eastern European area. Caused by the so-called Marcomanni wars, the first waves of the great migration of peoples encountered Roman dams.

As far as it is possible to determine the movement in depth, it was about two main impacts. First, in the east of the Danube lands, the westward pressure of the Alans, a Sarmatian population group, prevailed, who from their original settlement on the Caspian Sea advanced to the Lower Danube. Another wave came, on the contrary, from the north. It was caused by the advance of the Goths from southern Sweden to the Oder and further in a southeastern direction. Because of this, a number of East German tribes came into movement. The Burgundians from Bornholm entered Silesia, the Semnons migrated from Mark of Brandenburg, and the Lombards also migrated. The Marcomanni, whose name the war bore, remained under foreign pressure.

To this it must be added that the Marcomanni were led by a very strong personality - King Ballamore. Meanwhile, it is unclear to what extent the attacks on Roman possessions, which continued in the coming years and covered the area between Regensburg and the mouth of the Danube, were actually coordinated. It is also unclear whether there was talk of a coalition of various tribes and groups of different ethnic origins. The Quadians, Marcomanni, Iazygians, Roxolani, Costobocians and Alans were the names given to various nationalities who had one common interest, namely a simultaneous attack on the Roman borders on the Danube and in Dacia.

Already in 166 AD. e. Battles broke out. After a deep breakthrough in the Middle Danube, the Marcomanni advanced to upper Italy in the Verona region. The open area was completely devastated. The attacks became more acute because the attackers were not content with just ordinary robberies, but also wanted to settle there. Marcus Aurelius immediately sensed the extent of this danger; he mobilized his last forces for defense. Two legions and auxiliaries were deployed and, as in few cases of extreme necessity, even slaves were armed. To protect Italy, fortified lines were built, and a special detachment was stationed at the protective cordon to strengthen the defense under the command of the consular.

Despite all these measures, in 171 AD. e. It was definitely not the Romans who took the initiative. In the Pannonian provinces of Dacia, Norica and Raetia, attacks by neighboring tribes began in the same year, the results of which can still be judged today by the destroyed strongholds, towns and villas. In 167 AD e. in Dacia had to repel an enemy attack, in 170 AD. e. suffered a crushing defeat and the commander Marcus Cornelius Fronto was killed, in the same year the Sarmatian Costoboks from the lower Danube advanced deeply into Greece. In 171 AD. The Marcomanni burned Venice, but the experienced Roman commanders Tiberius Claudius Pompeian and Publius Helvius Pertinac were able to push back the simultaneously attacking Quadi and Narists, clear Noricum and Raetia, and take away most of their booty from the Germans who had fled to the Danube.

Lucius Verus died in 169 AD. e. in Altina shortly after the start of this struggle. Marcus Aurelius remained in Rome for some time after this, where he held a sensational auction of valuables and works of art in order to obtain additional funds to equip the army. In order to bind Pompeian more closely to himself, he married him to Lucilla, the widow of Verus. Then he went to the Danube front and chose Carnunt as his headquarters.

Between 172 and 175 n. e. Continuous and large-scale offensives were carried out against the Quadi, Marcomanni and Narists in the Middle Danube region, as well as against the Sarmatians on the Tisza. These are the same battles that are depicted on the thirty-meter-high Column of Marcus on Piazza Colonna in Rome, although its relief cannot be interpreted with certainty, like that of Trajan's Column. These battles also include the miracles depicted there that saved the then stranded Roman troops - the miracle of rain and the miracle of lightning.

Peace agreements with the Quadi and, finally, with the Iazyges stopped, at least for a while, these battles, and the agreement with the Iazyges in 175 AD. e. was urgently needed by Marcus Aurelius, because at that time Gaius Avidius Cassius, commander of a group of troops in the east of the empire, rebelled against him and attracted most of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt to his side. Therefore, the princeps was forced to leave the theater of military operations on the Danube as quickly as possible and concentrate on the confrontation with the usurper.

The conditions of the world allow us to see the outlines of a complete concept. Since the attacks of recent years were the result of untimely detection of regroupings in the imperial frontier, Roman military leaders learned a lesson from this experience. Now strict order and surveillance of the forefield north and east of the Danube were normalized. In the future, a free strip was kept on the left bank of the Danube, first 14 and then 7 km wide. Routes and places for trade were strictly established, and direct control over the forefield was expanded and strengthened through the advancement of individual fortresses. However, much more sensitive for the enemy was the demand to return all prisoners and allocate auxiliary groups, most of which were immediately sent to Britain.

According to extremely controversial information from the “History of the Augustans”, the princeps allegedly wanted to make Bohemia and Moravia the province of Marcomannia, and the space between Pannonia and Dacia - the province of Sarmatia. But there is no evidence for such far-reaching plans.

No matter how long the new order seemed, it was only a short respite. Already in 178 AD. e. the battles of the so-called Second Marcomannic War began again; Marcus Aurelius, together with his son Commodus, again went to the Danube and died there in 180 AD. e. This phase marks the founding of a new legionnaire camp on German soil. In 179 AD e. Castra Regina (Regensburg) was founded. Almost simultaneously, Roman military formations again advanced into the Slovakia region. An inscription on the rock of Trenzin (approximately 100 km north of Pressburg) testifies to the presence of the II Legion.

The tensions that both decades between 161 and 180 brought to the empire. n. e., was not limited to the Parthian and Marcomannic wars, since, in addition to these two places of hostilities, uprisings and riots broke out in almost all directions of the world. Immediately after the start of the reign along with the Parthian War in 162 AD. had to suppress the Hutt uprising in Upper Germany and in the same year the uprising of the Caledonians in Britain. Added to this was the uprising of shepherds in the Nile Delta. Religious motives made this rebellion very dangerous, even Alexandria was under threat for some time. This revolt was eventually suppressed by Gaius Avidius Cassius. And the extreme southwest of the empire experienced times full of danger; in 172 and 177 n. e. Southern Spain was attacked several times from the sea by Moorish tribes and subjected to plunder. The situation was resolved only with the help of a large special military unit.

The empire managed to establish itself once again, but at what cost. Even Roman sources do not hush up the great losses during these two decades, not only among the military leadership, but also among the broad masses of the population of large cities due to robbery and plague. If the author Cassius Dio, who is close to the events, says that in 175 AD. e. When peace was concluded with the Iazyges, about 100,000 Roman prisoners of war were returned, then this number is proof only of the number of Romans captured in this theater of operations.

It is known that Marcus Aurelius was fascinated by philosophy from his early youth. If we consider him a Stoic, then we must take into account that the teaching of the Stoics, over the course of a long spiritual and historical process, has long become a kind of popular philosophy. Its postulates emphasize the irrelevance of external things and forms and put the internal development and self-education of a person in first place. Marcus Aurelius was completely immersed in this world, even externally. He wore a beard, sometimes a philosopher's robe, often slept on the floor and adhered to strict asceticism. The reflective nature of Marcus Aurelius developed under the influence of good teachers. Adrian once jokingly called him the most just, and the rigor of his efforts on himself is reflected in his “Self-Contemplation.”

These notes were not originally intended for publication or philosophical use, and from this point of view they can be placed on a par with Augustine's confessions. They best reveal the self-absorbed man and that Roman ruler who was able to establish the relative nature of all things and had the strongest awareness of the scale of human activity and the changeability of what is happening: “On what tiny lumps of earth are you crawling?... Asia, Europe - nooks and crannies world, the whole sea for the world is a drop, Athos is a lump in it, everything present is a point in eternity. Everything is insignificant, changeable and transitory.” He expressed a similar awareness of frailty in the phrase: “The time is near when you will forget everyone, and everyone will forget you.”

Associated with this knowledge is the concept of the equality of all people. But it is natural that in the ancient understanding of the ego there was the equality of the free, the equality of members of civilized humanity. From the concept of this equality arose the personal idea of ​​statehood: “I imagine a state in which power is evenly distributed, which is governed by the principles of equality and freedom of speech and by a monarchy that respects above all else the freedom of its subjects.”

"Self-Contemplation" represents a call to self, a call to self-control, which Marcus Aurelius achieved. The final word of this spiritual diary is: “Man, you were a citizen of this great city. Do you care if you are 5 years old or 3 years old? After all, obedience to the laws is equal for everyone. What is terrible in that if it is not a tyrant or an unjust judge who sends you away from the city, but the very nature that settled you in it? So the praetor releases the actor he has received from the stage. - “But I didn’t perform five actions, but only three.” - “Quite right. But in life, three acts are the whole play. For the end is announced to those who were once the author of the origin of life, and are now the author of its termination. You have nothing to do with either one or the other. Leave this life, remain benevolent, just as the one who lets you go is benevolent" (Aureliy M. Rostov n/d., 1991. Translated by S. N. Rogozin)

The historical image of Marcus Aurelius was formed under the influence of two completely opposite impressions. The Introspections depict the inner struggles of the Stoic philosopher and became Frederick the Great's favorite reading, while the four-metre tall equestrian statue on the Capitoline Hill, one of the most famous Roman equestrian statues in general, embodies the power of a ruler and commander. You can appreciate a philosopher, admire a man, but there is no reason to idealize a princeps.

Of course, extraordinary strength of character and firmness was required in order, despite a chain of disasters, to achieve the successful defense of the empire, especially since Marcus Aurelius was not trained in military craft and was not prepared for the leadership functions of this kind. Even if he enjoyed the successes of such generals as Pompeian, Pertinac and Avidius Cassius, the responsibility for defending the empire still lay with him alone. Here, as in other areas of domestic policy, the outcome of his reign is certainly positive.

But he is confronted by a completely unsatisfactory solution to personal management problems. If the Roman Empire could withstand an unsuitable princeps, then it was under Marcus Aurelius that the historical test of the adoptive empire took place. He is to blame for the fact that this institution did not work precisely at the moment when it was a question of putting a truly worthy person at the head of the state. He is to blame for the fact that in addition to the external crisis of the empire, an internal one was added.

Although Commodus was close to his father for quite a long time before he came to power, he did not continue the operations led by Marcus Aurelius and did not adopt his style of rule. But it would be wrong to see in the actions of the new princeps a new concept of the principate. His decision to interrupt the fighting on the Danube hardly reflected a realistic assessment of the empire's potential. Saving her strength never interested Commodus even later.

On the other hand, there is no reason to dramatize the fact that the unreliable young princeps joined those who now advocated a cessation of the offensive. For the status quo on the Danube border was largely preserved, although Roman outposts were removed and subsidies were paid to border neighbors. The fact that military and foreign policy initiatives should not be expected from Commodus was already evident here. Where there were minor attacks on the Roman frontier during his reign, as in Britain (around 184 AD), on the upper Rhine, where in 187 AD e. The Strasbourg Legion was stationed in Denmark and Spain, and local commanders took successful defensive measures. Commodus himself was content with the fact that back in 180 AD. e. celebrated a new triumph for the victory over the Danube peoples, and five years later adopted the victorious name Britannicus. After his return to Rome, the border troops never saw him again.

Commodus was also not interested in domestic politics. Inside the empire, a pure regime of favorites reigned, accompanied by wastefulness and corruption. The rivalry of the courtiers and their struggle for power quickly led to a state close to anarchy. Moreover, Commodus, naturally, did not cover his creatures. So, he abandoned Perenna, a power-hungry representative of the equestrian class, who from 182 to 185 AD. e., being a praetorian prefect, he was an influential person. This happened when a large delegation from the British legions arrived in Rome and brought charges against Perenna. The prefect was deposed and killed.

But his successor Cleander did not suffer a better fate. As a Phrygian slave, he was once sold in Rome and, thanks to the position of valet, became the most influential person in the state. When in 189 AD. e. famine began, Cleander was also sacrificed to the Roman plebs. The last team to set the course from about 191 AD. e., there were again the valet Eclectus, the praetorian prefect Letus and the mistress of the princeps Christian Marcia.

It is quite obvious that such a government did not enjoy any authority, and the guard was kept in check only by constant signs of favor and compliance. Already in 182 AD. e. The princeps sister Lucilla and Ummidius Quadratus conceived a rebellion against Commodus. However, the conspiracy failed, and since a number of senators participated in it, the persecution of Commodus fell on those senators whom the chronically distrustful princeps considered his enemies. Like Caligula and Nero, Commodus combined fear with an overestimation of his own personality and pathological behavior.

The extravagance of the court and government difficulties, not eliminated by new confiscations and taxes, quickly led to mismanagement. Already in 180 AD. e., for example, grain prices in Egypt tripled. Neither the reorganization of the grain fleet nor other measures changed anything during the crisis. Stabilization of the economy and currency failed; Commodus's slaves, freedmen and courtiers were not capable of this.

An inscription from North Africa reveals the poor state of daily life of the population. This appeal to the princeps speaks of the plight of ordinary colons. Small tenants turn to the ruler in a pleading tone: “Come to our aid and, since we, poor peasants who earn our bread with our own hands, cannot resist the tenant before your procurator, who, thanks to generous gifts, enjoys their trust, take pity on us and honor us with our sacred answer, so that we do not do more than what we are supposed to do according to the decree of Adrian and according to the letters to your procurators... so that we, peasants and cultivators of our domains, by the grace of your Majesty, are no longer disturbed by tenants.” In his reply, Commodus expressed his concern "that nothing should be required which would violate the fundamental statute."

If there they limited themselves to requests, then in other places such circumstances gave rise to uprisings. In Southern Gaul, public discontent was led by the deserter Maternus. He proclaimed himself emperor, however, after this he was expelled from Gaul, but in 186 AD. e. continued the gang war in Italy until he was caught and executed.

Amid these crises and needs, Commodus lived a luxurious lifestyle. If his father was imbued with the deepest sense of duty and was tormented by remorse, then Commodus had no idea of ​​such motives. But he was obsessed with his nobility. As the first porphyry ruler, he believed that there were no limits for him, that he had the right to demand the highest respect. After Lucilla's conspiracy, when the courtiers convinced him that he would better protect himself from further assassination attempts if he showed himself less in public, he lived constantly in his palace.

In the first years of his reign, the coins of the state mint depicted the traditional state gods, primarily Jupiter, Minerva, Mars and Apollo, and also due to the ruler's love for the eastern gods Sarapis, Isis and Cybele. Jupiter received a new nickname Victorious, which was followed by Commodus being greeted as Victorious. At the same time, as in the time of Trajan, the eternity of Rome, the happiness of the new century - the happiness of times and the happiness of the century - were glorified. Commodus was so confident in his own happiness that he included a new element, happy, in his title.

In contrast to what followed later, the beginning of the reign can be called moderate. But everything changed dramatically when Commodus, after the death of Cleander, decided to lead politics himself. In any case, he abandoned his seclusion in the palace and stopped hiding his monocratic pretensions. In this regard, it would be a mistake to use the concept of “absolutism”.

The renaming and distribution of new names now took on a painful nature, which Commodus was very keen on, and this once again suggests that he considered the empire his property. So, in 190 AD. e. the name Rome disappeared, the city began to be called Colonia Commodiana, the Roman Senate - the Commodian Senate, moreover, all legions had to bear the name Commodus. A particularly successful solution came to the ruler’s mind regarding the names of the months. He changed his name and titles quite often and it turned out that they now consisted of 12 elements, so it was easier and more expedient to change the old names of the months to twelve new ones: Lucius, Elius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Hercules, Roman, Victorious, Amazonian, Invincible, Happy, Pius.

Hand in hand with the strengthening of external forms went a disregard for old traditions. Thus, the princeps often began to appear in silk and purple clothes, as a priest of Isis, he participated in the processions of this cult with a smoothly shaved head and presented himself as a slave before the gods. While the gladiator in the eyes of the Romans was considered despicable and declassed, Commodus saw in him a life ideal. He turned the hunt into a massacre and reduced Herculean ideas to the point of absurdity.

With all his respect for the various eastern gods, Hercules stood first in the final phase of his reign. He wanted to be the Roman Hercules, the opposite of the Greek god. Thus, on coins and medallions, Commodus wore a helmet with the image of a lion’s muzzle; a lion’s skin and a club were always carried in front of him; these details lay on his chair when he himself did not take part in official ceremonies. If the mythological Hercules defeated the monster, then Commodus looked up to him in his own way. He ordered the Roman cripples to be caught, dressed as giants, and then he killed them with a club, as he did with wild animals in the circus.

Everything that was hidden behind the true dexterity of the princeps was obscured by these excesses. They eventually began to terrify even those closest to him. When Commodus announced his intention to join the consulate on January 1, 193 AD. e. as a gladiator, his entourage Marcia and Eclectus, after an unsuccessful poisoning attempt, ordered the athlete to strangle him on December 31, 192 AD. e. in the bath. Long-restrained hatred resulted in a curse on the memory of the murdered man. The images of Commodus were discarded and the name hammered in with a chisel. However, in 197 AD. e. Septimius Severus associated himself with Commodus, naturally to demonstrate after the turning point of 193 AD. e. continuity of the principate. He even ordered the deification of his predecessor.

However, there is also a modern apotheosis of this perversion. Commodus supposedly needs to be understood on the basis of his “primordial Spanish character,” his desire for primitiveness, for a new form of religiosity, henotheistic syncretism or “religious absolutism.” However, these interpretations are just as unconvincing as in the case of Caligula or Nero, since they do not reflect the essence of the historical Commodus, the princeps who ended the Antonine dynasty. If at the beginning of the 2nd century. n. e. careful ideological justification founded a new phase of the principate, and it was again confirmed by the constructive achievements of the new princeps, then the last Antonin with his fantastic excesses brought it to the point of absurdity. The Roman Hercules Commodus is separated by a whole world from the Herculean ideology of Trajan. The chaos of the era of Commodus was caused by himself; it was with him that the era of “iron and rust” began in the eyes of the contemporary historian Cassius Dio, and, according to Gibbon, the beginning of the “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.”

Marcus Aurelius is called the great emperor of Rome, who ended the “golden age” of the ancient empire (this period dates chronologically from 96-180 AD). After the ruler died, the ancient state gradually began to fade, the power and greatness of which kept half the world in obedience.

The works and quotes of the emperor that have survived to this day are considered classics of Roman philosophy. Many of the sayings of Marcus Aurelius have received a “second life” in the 21st century, having been included in anthologies of textbooks and works on philosophy.

Family and early years of life

The future Emperor of Rome was born in 121 into the family of Domitia Lucilla and Annius Verus, who was a representative of the ancient Italian family of Annius Verus. Many of the members of this clan considered themselves direct descendants of King Numa Pompilius (715-633/633 BC). The clan was recognized as patrician only many, many centuries later, when Emperor Vespasian ascended the throne. This happened in 79 AD. Under him, the list of patricians of Rome was updated by including many noble families, including the Anniev Verov.

At birth, the boy received a family name - Mark Annius Verus. His own father died shortly after Mark was born, and the child was adopted by Publius Catilius Severus, which is why the boy’s name was changed to Mark Annius Catilius Severus.

The child's family was noble and was constantly at the imperial court. Therefore, it is not surprising that the ruler of Rome himself, Adrian, drew attention to Mark. It was he who noted the baby’s unusual abilities and his thirst for knowledge and science. The emperor ordered the boy to be sent to school, where the best teachers of that time taught. Thus, Adrian paid his debt to the memory of Publius Catilius Severus, who died in 139. After this, two outstanding people of ancient Rome took up his upbringing - the emperor and the boy’s grandfather, Annius Verus. Having discussed the future fate of his grandson with the ruler of the empire, the grandfather chose a new adoptive father for the child. This was Antonin Pius, who soon became the ruler of Rome. His wife was the sister of Mark’s own father. The choice of his adoptive father was not accidental - both Adrian, his grandfather, and Antoninus Pius prepared the boy to soon take up a government position. In ancient Rome, this could only be done with knowledge and power. The latter was transmitted exclusively by inheritance from father to son. Roman legislation allowed citizens to make not only their own sons, but also adopted ones, their heirs. Therefore, statesmen often chose a worthy successor, adopted him and trained him accordingly, in order to later make him the heir to his fortune and position. This is exactly what happened to young Marcus Aurelius.

At the age of 6, Adrian decided to give Mark the title of horseman, at the same time changing his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus. In order to test the boy's abilities, the emperor gave the child many tasks every day, which he always completed.

At the age of eight, Mark was included in a special college of priests - the Salii, who served Mars. When the pupil of the emperor and Antoninus Pius reached the age of 16, he was appointed to the position of organizer and manager of Latin holidays, feasts and events, at which Emperor Hadrian was invariably present. Already at such a young age, Mark showed those qualities that would later make him a truly great emperor: love of truth, honesty and justice. Therefore, his surname - “Ver” - was slightly changed by friends and teachers to “Verissimus”, which translated from Latin meant “most just”.

Growing up and government work

A huge influence on the formation of the character of Marcus Aurelius was had by his relationship with Antoninus Pius, whom the young man called his teacher, mentor and father. In his works, the future emperor repeatedly noted that his adoptive father taught him how to lead the life of an ordinary person. Thanks to Pius, Mark was responsible for his duties, the activities of the ruler and public service.

Mark's education in his youth took place at the emperor's palace, where his teachers were famous philosophers of that time. In particular, Apollonius from Chalcedon, a supporter of the Stoic movement, and Junius Rusticus, a follower of the ideas of Plato. This environment made Mark an adherent of Stoic philosophy. Under the influence of his brilliant teachers, the future emperor chose the motto of his entire subsequent life: “Teach not with words, but with your own example.”

The boy paid special attention to classes in civil law, which were taught to him by Lucius Volusius Metianus (an outstanding lawyer of that time). The young man grew up committed to justice, patience, and hard work. He did not like pomp and luxury, believing that even without them he could serve his native state perfectly. The young man considered his idols to be the great Roman rulers - Nerva and Trajan, as well as Hadrian. Marcus Aurelius also sacredly revered ancient Roman rituals and traditions.

Already at a young age, those around Mark became famous for his extraordinary oratorical abilities. Those around him listened to him with bated breath and believing every word. He also differed from young men of his age and position in that his words had deep meaning and significance.

The government career of Marcus Aurelius began in 138. Before becoming sole emperor, he held the following positions:

• Quaestor, where he was engaged in administrative work (138);
• Consul (140, 145);
• Tribune with proconsular powers, which extended beyond Rome (147). A few years later, Anthony elevated his son-in-law to the rank of co-emperor. Not a single decision was made by Pius without the consent of Mark;
• Consul again. This time he ruled together with his adopted brother (161). At the same time, Pius announced that Mark would become his successor on the throne;
• Emperor together with his half-brother Lucius Verus (161-169).

Independent rule

In 169, Lucius Verus died, after which Marcus Aurelius was proclaimed emperor of the Roman state. But in fact all power was in his hands from 161, since the co-ruler was not distinguished by talent and did not show any interest in the internal and external problems of the country.

Evidence from that time suggests that Marcus Aurelius won the love of the population due to his wisdom and prudence in decision-making. And this despite the fact that serious problems began in the empire - the population of Parthia and Egypt rebelled, the plague spread, and wars and civil strife depleted the state treasury.

Marcus Aurelius solved most of these difficulties using his own finances and inheritance.

During his reign the following events and reforms were carried out:

• Legal proceedings have been streamlined, many ancient rights and customs have been restored;
• Many laws and decrees were published to improve the lives of the common Roman people. This responsibility for the lives of citizens and caring for them made Marcus Aurelius popular among the inhabitants of Rome;
• Institutions were created to care for the sick and those injured;
• The taxation system was improved, and the largest contributions to the treasury were made by the nobility. With the money received, special shelters were opened for the poor, needy and orphans;
• Colleges were founded;
• Four philosophical departments were created in the city of Athens. Each of the departments represented one of the main ancient philosophical movements: Stoic, Academic, Epicurean, Peripatetic. All professors working in departments received salaries from the state treasury;
• Mandatory registration of newborn children was introduced;
• A morality police was created;
• The prestige of the Senate strengthened;
• Before performances, all gladiators were now armed only with blunt swords, and for tightrope walkers special insurance was created in the form of mattresses, which were supposed to protect them in case of a fall from a height.

Since 167, Rome began to constantly encounter barbarian tribes - the Sarmatians and Germans. The fight against them was led personally by the emperor. Only by 175 was peace signed, as a result of which the ancient Germans began to settle in the territories occupied by Roman garrisons.

That same year, the population of Syria rebelled again, where the local ruler, Avilius Cassius, declared himself the new Roman ruler. It was he who spread the rumor for three months that Marcus Aurelius had died. Cassius was killed by his accomplices, after which the emperor solemnly toured the eastern provinces of the state. He began his journey in Alexandria, from there he moved to Syria, then to Cappadocia and Smyrna, and ended his journey in Greece.

From 176 until the end of his days, the co-ruler of Marcus Aurerius was his son Commodus. The last years of the life of the sovereign of Great Rome were not calm. He constantly fought with the Germans and pacified the Syrians. In 180, he and his army reached the center of modern Austria (where Vienna is now located), and died immediately.

At the same time, Marcus Aurelius was a fairly peace-loving emperor when compared with his predecessors. Of the 21 years of independent rule, he spent 14 on military campaigns, defending Rome and its citizens.

Immediately after his death, the emperor was elevated to the rank of deity, and a temple was built in his honor. In Rome, a huge (30 meters high) column decorated with bas-reliefs was installed. The images told about the exploits of the emperor, his campaigns and wars. And on Capitol Hill they erected an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, which still stands there today.

Family and Children

Anthony Pius also controlled Mark’s personal life, so he did not allow his adopted son to marry a girl named Ceionia. Instead, he was betrothed to Pius' daughter Faustina. The young people got married in 145.

Faustina turned out to be an unfaithful wife, and began to cheat on her husband a few years after the wedding. Historians believe that this was due to the constant employment of Marcus Aurelius in government positions and on campaigns. The emperor's wife was seen in company with theater actors, sailors, tavern regulars, and gladiators. Rumors about his wife’s adventures reached Marcus Aurelius, but he did not dare to dissolve the marriage, which was blessed by his beloved adoptive father.

This behavior of Faustina did not turn her husband away from her. He continued to read poetry to her, took her on almost all trips, and loved her.

Faustina died during a campaign in one of the provinces of the empire. This loss crippled the ruler; he grieved for a long time for the “mother of the camps,” as Marcus Aurelius called his wife.

The couple had 13 children together, but only their son Commodus, who succeeded his father, and four daughters survived.

The first daughter was born in 147 and was named Annia. In honor of this event, the then Emperor Antony Pius elevated his adopted son to the rank of tribune. The girl lived until she was 165 years old.

The emperor's other children were named:

• Gemellus Lucius and Anna Aurelia Lussilla (twins), the boy died in 150, and the girl married Lucius's father's co-ruler Verus (died 182);
• Titus Aelius Antoninus, Titus Aelius Aurelius and Domitia Faustina (born after 150, died approximately 161);
• Adrianus (152-157);
• Annia Aurelia (159 - approximately 211);
• Annia Cornifia (160 - approximately 211);
• Titus Aurelius Fulvus (161-165), twin of Commodus;
• Lucius Aurelius Commodus (161-192);
• Marcus Annius (162-169);
• Vibia Aurelia Sabina (170-217).

The successor of Marcus Aurelius - his son Commodus - went down in the history of the world and Rome as a rude and ignorant ruler. His father surrounded him with philosophers and poets, teachers of ethics and morality, but this did not help. Commodus preferred the company of circus actors, gladiators, and mimes. Perhaps it was the influence of genes, since there were rumors that the mother gave birth to Commodus and his brother from one of the gladiators.