Aurelius biography imperial marcus roman emperor

Marcus Aurelius was chosen by Emporer Hadrian to be his eventual successor. In , Aurelius took control of the Roman Empire along with his brother Verus. War and disease threatened Rome on all sides.

Marcus aurelius children

Aurelius held his territory, but was weakened as a ruler after the death of his brother Verus. His son Commodus later became co-ruler in , only three years before Aurelius died on March 17, Known for his philosophical interests, Aurelius was one of the most respected emperors in Roman history. He was born into a wealthy and politically prominent family.

Growing up, Aurelius was a dedicated student, learning Latin and Greek.

How old was marcus aurelius when he died

But his greatest intellectual interest was Stoicism, a philosophy that emphasized fate, reason and self-restraint. Discourses, written by a former slave and Stoic philosopher Epictetus, had a great deal of influence over Marcus Aurelius. His serious and hard-working nature was even noticed by Emperor Hadrian. After his earlier choice for a successor died, Hadrian adopted Titus Aurelius Antoninus who would be known as Emperor Pius Antonius to succeed him as an emperor.

Hadrian also arranged for Antoninus to adopt Marcus Aurelius and the son of his earlier successor. Around the age of 17, Marcus Aurelius became the son of Antoninus. He worked alongside his adopted father while learning the ways of government and public affairs. In , Aurelius became consul, or leader of the senate—a post he would hold two more times in his lifetime.