Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antonius, born Marcus Annius Verus in 121 C.E, was adopted at age 17 by emperor Antonius Pius. Marcus succeeded to the throne without difficulty after the death of Antonius in 161 C.E. A devotee of Stoicism, Marcus is well remembered for his Meditations, written while in isolation, in which he attempts to reconcile his Stoic beliefs with his role as emperor. In terms of his role as emperor, Marcus Aurelius is well remembered for protecting the borders of the empire against Germanic forces, his caution in spending empirical funds, his social policies, his legal policies, the effect of his Stoicism on his policies, his relentless persecution of Christians, believing them to be a threat to the empire, and also his benevolence towards the weak and needy. During the reign of Marcus Aurelius, there were many threats to the borders of the empire, most coming from Germanic tribes from the north along the Rhine-Danube border in 167 C.E. Marcus spent much time with his army along this border, boosting morale while at the same time keeping an eye on the goings on. A significant victory for Marcus came
Marcus Aurelius left a lasting legacy on Rome and the Roman empire. His benevolent tendencies led to the founding of new hospitals, orphanages, schools, and lower taxes. He also set the standard for humanized laws. He also improved the treatment of slaves for generations to come. Marcus Aurelius is oft regarded as one of the best emperors Rome ever saw. Marcus let, to a great extent, his Stoic beliefs affect his policies, and his governing. An example of this is how Marcus as a Stoic does not let public belief, opinion or his own reputation prevent him from doing what he feels is good for the empire. Marcus' Stoicism is also evident in his dealings with slaves. The emperor's Stoicism emphasized the unity of mankind, and so in keeping with this, Marcus almost always favoured slaves in lawsuits involving them. Another belief affecting his decision making was his belief that Christians were a threat to the empire. He relentlessly persecuted them, without reasoning first. In 176 C.E. Marcus returned to the Northern frontier, hoping to extend the boundaries of the empire northeastward to the Wisla (Vistula)
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