Today in History—March 7: Rome’s Dual Emperors
On this day in 161, the citizens of Rome scratched their heads at the announcement that they had not one but two new emperors.
Upon the death of Emperor Antoninus Pius, his heir Marcus Aurelius declared that he would rule alongside his (adoptive) brother, Lucius Verus. This marked the first time in Roman history that two emperors served simultaneously.
Marcus’s succession was not based on bloodline: It was not uncommon for Roman emperors to choose adoptive heirs. At age 17 Marcus had been adopted by Antoninus Pius, who himself had been adopted by Emperor Hadrian, who had recognized Marcus’s potential as a boy and wanted to begin preparing him for the role as early as possible.
For the next two decades Marcus watched and learned how the government worked. He married his adoptive sister, Annia Galeria Faustina, cementing his claim to the throne. He also became enamored with the writings of Epictetus, a formerly enslaved Stoic philosopher.
A straightforward confirmation by the Roman Senate resulted in a remarkably smooth transition of power. All signs indicated that the rule of Marcus Aurelius would be a long, prosperous, peaceful one.
It wasn’t.
Almost immediately Rome was plunged into a series of wars, revolts, and plagues. Marcus endured personal tragedies: 6 of his 12 children, Co-emperor Lucius, and Empress Faustina all died. Marcus appointed his surviving son, Commodus, to be co-emperor and his successor.
This was not received well. Many felt that Commodus was an unworthy nepo baby and considered his succession the end of the Pax Romana (“Golden Age”) of Rome.
Throughout his tenure, Marcus kept a diary. It’s not clear whether he intended for these writings to be read, but centuries later they were discovered and published. The resulting book (Meditations) is now considered by many the foundational text of Stoic philosophy.
A heavily fictionalized version of Marcus Aurelius appears in the film Gladiator (2000).
Whether Marcus Aurelius was a good emperor is up for debate. What’s less debatable is his position among the great philosophers. Meditations grants us unique insight into a man who struggled with how to be a good leader—and how to be a good person.
- 19 years: Length of Marcus Aurelius’s reign
- 12: Children born to Marcus and Faustina
- 100,000: Copies of Meditations sold in 2019
- 1876: Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone
- 1942: The first class of airmen graduates from Tuskegee Army Air Field
- 2010: Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to win an Academy Award for best director
