Marcus Aurelius was the emperor of ancient Rome. Marcus Aurelius: biography and reflections. Marcomannic War of Marcus Aurelius
Antoninus Pius chose two heirs for himself. The rights of one of them were confirmed. It was Marcus Elius Aurelius Antoninus. Another heir, Lucius Aurelius Verus, was rejected. Lucius Aurelius Verus was too frivolous for the emperor. But Marcus Aurelius was of a different opinion on this matter, and he invited Lucius Aurelius Verus to rule with him. For the first time in Roman history, two emperors ruled simultaneously. In the future, this situation developed constantly and was once confirmed by law, but the case of Aurelius and Verus can be considered the beginning of a tradition.
Frankly, Lucius Aurelius Ver had no interest in the affairs of the state and preferred to spend his life in pursuit of pleasure. Therefore, Marcus Aurelius, who took upon himself all the hardships of governing the country, is remembered, and his colleague was forgotten. Far from all chronological tables and even historical chronicles can be found the name of Lucius Vera; he left such an insignificant mark on history that it is easiest not to even remember him. In contrast, Antonin's stepson turned out to be an exemplary ruler. Five hundred years ago, Plato said that there would be no balance in the world until the lords become philosophers or philosophers become lords, and this statement came true thanks to Marcus Aurelius, because he was a powerful ruler and at the same time a philosopher, whose works are still have not lost their significance. The new emperor was a stoic by conviction. Under the gentle rule of the Antonines, this philosophy gained great respect among the people. The philosophy of the Stoics was distinguished by simplicity and clarity, and besides, it was close to everyone who honored the ancient Roman traditions. Be that as it may, one cannot truly fill one's life with laziness and luxury; over time, they cause satiety, while spiritual food never becomes boring. Peaceful times contributed to reflection, and for those who thought about the meaning of life, the confident and calm philosophy of the Stoics was the best fit.
During Roman times, the most famous representative of Stoicism was Epictetus, a Greek by birth, who was born in 60 and lived most of his life in slavery. He was in poor health and lame (it is possible that this was due to the ill-treatment of the owner). As a child, Epictetus was brought to Rome, and there he sometimes managed to attend lectures by the Stoics, as a result of which he accepted their teaching, and when he was freed from slavery, he himself began to teach Stoicism. It so happened that during the reign of Domitian, he was among those philosophers who were ordered to leave the country. In 89 Epictetus left for Nikopolis, the city that Augustus had founded after his final victory over Mark Antony at Aktia. The rest of his life, Epictetus taught at Nicopolis and created his own school. He is considered one of the classical philosophers of the period of ancient history.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius was fond of the teachings of the Stoics, and he became his most famous follower. He believed not in happiness, but in tranquility, he valued wisdom, justice, steadfastness and restraint, he did not lose his head in front of any of the obstacles on the way to fulfilling his duty. During his life filled with battles, he wrote down his thoughts in a book that has come down to us under the name "Reflections". Even now it is valued as the memoirs of a man who managed to remain kind in exceptionally difficult conditions. As can be seen from the example of many, many people occupying high positions, power is able to spoil even the strongest personality. It is amazing that in the position in which he found himself, this man managed to remain a philosopher in the highest sense of the word and save himself, while at the same time bringing great benefits to his people.
Marcus Aurelius did not manage to live the peaceful life that he fully deserved, but this was not his fault. If it depended on the will of the emperor, then the situation that had been created during the life of his predecessor would be preserved in the Empire for many centuries. The absence of hostilities, a peaceful way of life and the gradual development of the economy for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the state more than suited the emperor-philosopher: he did not want to expand his territory at the expense of the possessions of his neighbors, who were already embittered by the constant aggression of Rome, did not want to make wealth by robbery. His ideals were peace and labor, the well-deserved prosperity of the country under the rule of a gentle and caring ruler. Unfortunately, in practice, everything happened quite differently. Throughout his life, Marcus Aurelius had to fight with various enemies, and despite attempts to peacefully resolve conflicts, they still had to be resolved by force of arms. It seems that the exceptional tranquility that reigned in the empire during the reign of Antoninus ended with his death, and from all sides the enemies began to rise up against Rome.
In the East, an old adversary, Parthia, raised his head. The ruler of this country again made an attempt to put his puppet on the Armenian throne, and then his troops invaded Syria, after which the war became inevitable. Under the command of the co-ruler of Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, the Roman legions hastily moved eastward.
The Parthians were defeated, and the Romans retaliated by invading Mesopotamia, where they burned the capital of the state, Ctesiphon, to the ground. Peace was restored by 166, and three years later Lucius Verus died, leaving Marcus Aurelius as sole ruler of Rome.
The Parthian war could be considered a triumph of Roman weapons, but it may seem so only at first glance. Certain circumstances turned this victory into a tool that almost destroyed the Roman Empire.
The main external threat was the unification of the Germanic tribes under the rule of the Marcomanni, who lived on the territory of present-day Northern Bavaria. They contributed to the unification of all the tribes north of the Danube. Seizing the moment when the Romans were fully occupied with the war with the Parthians, they began to attack the northern borders of the Empire and for fifteen years wore down the Roman troops. Marcus Aurelius had to transfer troops from one dangerous area to another, and it was worth defeating the Germans in one place, as they immediately raised their heads again in another. Here it was useful to the barbarians that the tribes were divided and obeyed only their leaders, who did not want to enter into alliances with others; thus, while some fought and diverted the attention of the Romans, others could muster their strength and regroup in order to start the invasion again. Combat operations of this nature could not bring serious results, but the Germans of that period, by and large, needed not so much to expand their territory as to capture rich booty, and in most cases they succeeded. Although they have always been distinguished by increased mobility, the need to continually transfer their forces from one section of the border to another allowed the enemy to find more and more loopholes and make raids deep into the territory of the Empire, plundering nearby lands and immediately returning back. In order to protect all the frontiers of a huge power at the same time, there would not be enough forces and means, so the emperor had to constantly maneuver in order to keep track of everything that was happening around. In this situation, the Germans, although they suffered certain losses, could not completely destroy them. It can be assumed that the Romans won this war, but if before they defeated and conquered barbarian lands, annexing them to the empire, now they only managed to push the Germans back from the border and prevent them from penetrating deep into Roman territory. In this state of affairs, great upheavals were to take place in the next century - and so they did.
In 180 Emperor Marcus Aurelius died in a military camp, having been emperor for nineteen years. At that time the German campaign was still going on.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was born on April 26, 121 AD. in a noble Roman family Annius Vera and Domitius Lucilla. It is believed that his family is ancient and originates from Numa Pompilius. In the early years, the boy bore the name of his great-grandfather - Mark Annius Catillius Sever. Soon his father died, Mark was adopted by his grandfather Annius Ver, and he took the name Mark Annius Ver.
By the will of his grandfather, Mark received his primary education at home from various teachers.
Emperor Adrian early noticed the subtle, fair nature of the boy and patronized him, he also gave Mark the nickname Verissimon (“the truest and most truthful”). From an early age, Mark performed various assignments given to him by Emperor Hadrian. At the age of six, he received the title of equestrian from Emperor Hadrian, which was an exceptional event. At the age of 8, he was a member of the collegium of the salii (priests of the god Mars), and from the age of 15-16 he was the organizer of Latin festivities throughout Rome and the manager at the feasts hosted by Hadrian, and everywhere he showed himself from the best side.
The emperor even wanted to appoint Mark as his direct heir, but this was impossible due to the youth of the chosen one. Then he appointed Antoninus Pius as his heir with the condition that he, in turn, transfer power to Mark. The laws of the ancient Roman tradition allowed the transfer of power not to physical heirs, but to those whom they considered their spiritual successors. Adopted by Antony Pius, Marcus Aurelius studied with many prominent philosophers, including the Stoic Apollonius. From the age of 18 he lived in the imperial palace. According to legend, many things pointed to the great future prepared for him. Subsequently, he remembered his teachers with deep love and gratitude and dedicated the first lines of his Meditations to them.
From the age of 19, Mark becomes a consul. Initiated into many mysteries, the future emperor was distinguished by simplicity and strictness of character. Already in his youth, he often surprised his loved ones. He was very fond of the ancient Roman ritual traditions, and in his views and worldview he was close to the students of the Stoic school. He was also a brilliant orator and dialectician, an expert in civil law and jurisprudence.
In 145, his marriage to the daughter of Emperor Antoninus Pius Faustina was formalized. Mark abandoned further studies in rhetoric, devoting himself to philosophy.
In 161, Marcus Aurelius took over the care of the Empire and responsibility for its future, sharing it with Caesar Lucius Veer, also the adopted son of Antoninus Pius. In fact, very soon, Mark alone began to bear the burden of caring for the empire. Lucius Ver showed weakness and retired from public affairs. At that time, Mark was about 40 years old. His wisdom and penchant for philosophy helped him to successfully rule the empire.
Of the large-scale events that befell the emperor, one can name the elimination of the consequences of the flood due to the flood of the Tiber River, which killed many livestock and caused starvation of the population; participation and victory in the Parthian War, the Marcomannic War, hostilities in Armenia, the German War and the fight against pestilence - an epidemic that claimed the lives of thousands of people. Despite the constant lack of funds, the emperor-philosopher, carried out the funeral of the poor who died from the epidemic at public expense. In order to avoid tax increases in the provinces to cover military expenses, he replenished the state treasury by holding a large auction for the sale of art treasures belonging to him. And having no funds to carry out the necessary military campaign, he sold and pawned everything that belonged to him personally and his family, including jewelry and clothes. Bidding lasted about two months - so great were the riches with which he did not regret parting. When the funds were collected, the emperor went on a campaign with an army and won a brilliant victory. The joy of the subjects and their love for the emperor was great that they were able to return to him a significant part of the wealth. Contemporaries characterized Marcus Aurelius as follows: "He was honest without inflexibility, modest without weakness, serious without sullenness."
Marcus Aurelius always showed exceptional tact in all cases when it was necessary to keep people from evil or to encourage good. Realizing the importance of philosophy in the educational and educational process, he established four departments in Athens - academic, peripatetic, stoic and epicurean directions. The professors of these departments were assigned the state content. Not afraid to lose popularity, he changed the rules of gladiator fights, making them less cruel. Despite the fact that he had to suppress the uprisings that now and then flare up on the outskirts of the empire, and repel numerous barbarian invasions that were already undermining its power, Marcus Aurelius never lost his cool. According to his adviser Timocrates, a cruel illness caused the emperor terrible suffering, but he courageously endured them and, in spite of everything, had an incredible ability to work. During military campaigns, in campfires, sacrificing hours of nightly rest, he created genuine masterpieces of moral philosophy and metaphysics. 12 books of his memoirs have been preserved, which were called “To Myself”. They are also known as "Reflections".
During a visit to the eastern provinces, in which a rebellion broke out, in the year 176, his wife Faustina, who accompanied him, died. Despite all the bitter shortcomings of his wife, Marcus Aurelius was grateful to her for her patience and favor and called her "the mother of the camps."
Death came to the emperor-philosopher on March 17, 180, during a military campaign in the vicinity of modern Vienna. Already sick, he was very sad that he was leaving behind a dissolute and cruel son of Commodus. Just before his death, Galen (the emperor’s doctor, who, despite the mortal danger, was next to him until the last minute) heard from Marcus Aurelius: “It seems that today I will be left alone with myself,” after which his emaciated lips touched the semblance of a smile. Marcus Aurelius died with dignity and courage, as a warrior, philosopher and great sovereign.
Mark Annius Catilius Severus, who went down in history under the name of Marcus Aurelius, was the son of Annius Verus and Domitia Lucilla.
In 139, after the death of his father, he was adopted by the emperor Antoninus Pius and became known as Mark Elius Aurelius Ver Caesar. Marcus Aurelius received an excellent education. Diognet introduced him to philosophy and taught painting. On the advice of the same teacher, the future emperor, under the influence of the philosophical views he had learned, began to sleep on bare boards, covering himself with an animal skin.
Even during the life of Adrian, Mark, despite his young age, was scheduled to be a quaestor, and six months after the death of Adrian, he assumed the position of quaestor (December 5, 138) and began to engage in administrative activities.
In the same year he was betrothed to Faustina, daughter of Emperor Antoninus Pius, Hadrian's successor to the throne.
He was scheduled by Pius to be consul for the next year 140 and declared Caesar. In 140, Mark became consul for the first time. In 145 - for the second time, together with Pius.
At 25, Mark switched to philosophy. Mark's main mentor in philosophy was Quintus Junius Rusticus. There is information about other philosophers called for Mark to Rome. Mark's leader in the study of civil law was the famous legal adviser L. Volusius Metian.
Antoninus Pius introduced Marcus Aurelius to the government in 146, giving him the power of tribune of the people. On January 1, 161, Mark entered his third consulship with his adopted brother. In March of the same year, Emperor Antoninus Pius died and the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus began, which lasted until January 169.
Marcus Aurelius learned a lot from his adoptive father, Antoninus Pius. Like him, Mark emphasized in every possible way his respect for the senate as an institution and for senators as members of this institution.
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Mark paid much attention to legal proceedings. The general direction of his activities in the field of law: "not so much innovating as restoring ancient law." In Athens, he established four departments of philosophy - for each of the philosophical trends that dominated his time - academic, peripatetic, stoic, epicurean. The professors were assigned state support.
Not possessing a warlike character, Mark had to participate in hostilities many times.
The Parthians invaded Roman possessions immediately after the death of Antoninus Pius and defeated the Romans in two battles. The Roman Empire made peace with Parthia in 166. In the same year, the Germanic tribes invaded the 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 (172).
In 178, Marcus Aurelius led a campaign against the Germans, and he managed to achieve great success, but the plague epidemic overtook the Roman troops. On March 17, 180, Marcus Aurelius died of the plague at Vindobona on the Danube (modern Vienna). After his death, Mark was officially deified. The time of his reign is considered in the ancient historical tradition as the golden age. Mark is called the philosopher on the throne. He professed the principles of stoicism, and the main thing in his notes is ethical teaching, an assessment of life from the philosophical and moral side and advice on how to relate to it.
He left philosophical notes - 12 "books" written in Greek, which are usually credited with the general name "Discourses about oneself." At the center of his anti-materialistic teaching is the partial possession by a person of his body, soul and spirit, the bearer of which is a pious, courageous and mind-led personality - the mistress (though only over the spirit), the educator of a sense of duty and the abode of a testing conscience. Through the spirit, all people take part in the divine and thereby create an ideological community that overcomes all limitations. In Marcus Aurelius, courage and disappointment were tragically combined.
Marcus Aurelius
rate 23.02.2007 03:31:15
Marcus Aurelius is called the great emperor of Rome, which ended the "golden age" of the ancient empire (this period dates chronologically from 96-180 AD). After the ruler died, the gradual extinction of the ancient state began, 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 received a "second life" in the 21st century, entering the anthology of textbooks and works on philosophy.
Family and early years
The future emperor of Rome was born in 121 in the family of Domitius Lucilla and Annius Vera, who was a representative of the ancient Italian family Anniev Verov. 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. It happened in 79 AD. Under him, the list of the patricians of Rome was updated by adding many noble families to it, including Anniev Verov.
At birth, the boy received a generic name - Mark Annius Ver. His own father died shortly after the birth of Mark, and the child was adopted by Publius Catilius Severus, because of which 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 unusual abilities of the baby, his craving for knowledge and science. The emperor ordered the boy to be sent to a school where the best teachers of that time taught. So Adrian repaid his debt to the memory of Publius Catilius Severus, who died in 139. After that, two prominent people of ancient Rome, the emperor and the boy’s grandfather Annius Ver, took up his upbringing. After discussing the fate of his grandson with the ruler of the empire, the grandfather chose a new foster father for the child. They became Antoninus Pius, who soon became the ruler of Rome himself. His wife was the sister of Mark's own father. The choice of a foster father was not accidental - both Adrian, and grandfather, and Antoninus Pius were preparing the boy for him to soon take up a public position. In ancient Rome, this could be done only with knowledge and power. The latter was transmitted exclusively by inheritance from father to son. Roman law allowed citizens to make their heirs not only their own sons, but also adopted ones. Therefore, statesmen often chose a worthy successor for themselves, adopted him and trained him accordingly, in order to later make him the heir to the state and position. This is exactly what happened to the young Marcus Aurelius.
At the age of 6, Adrian decided to give Mark the title of horseman, changing his name at the same time to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Ver. 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 the Latin holidays, feasts and events, at which the 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 in Latin meant "the most just".
Growing up and government work
A huge influence on the formation of the character of Marcus Aurelius had his relationship with Antoninus Pius, whom the young man called a teacher, mentor and father. In his works, the future emperor repeatedly noted that his adoptive father taught him 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, a supporter of the Stoic current Apollonius from Chalcedon and Junius Rusticus, a follower of the ideas of Plato. This environment made Mark an adherent of the philosophy of the Stoics. 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 he was taught by Lucius Volusius Metian (an outstanding lawyer of that time). The young man grew up as an adherent of justice, patience, diligence. He did not like pomp and luxury, believing that even without them one can perfectly serve his native state. The young man considered his idols the great Roman rulers - Nerva and Trajan, as well as Hadrian. Also, Marcus Aurelius sacredly honored the ancient Roman rituals and traditions.
Already at a young age, those around Mark became famous for his extraordinary oratorical abilities. Those around him listened with bated breath and believing every word. He differed from young men of his age and position also in that his words had a deep meaning and significance.
The public career of Marcus Aurelius began in 138. Before becoming the sole emperor, he held the positions of:
- Quaestor, where he was engaged in administrative work (138);
- Consul (140, 145);
- Tribune with proconsular powers that extended beyond Rome (AD 147). A few years later, Antony elevated his son-in-law to the rank of co-ruler. Not a single decision was made by Pius without the consent of Mark;
- Consul repeated. This time he ruled together with his adopted brother (161). Then Pius announced that Mark would succeed him on the throne;
- Emperor together with his half-brother Lucius Verus (161-169).
Independent government
In 169, Lucius Ver 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 did not differ in talent and did not show any interest in the internal and external problems of the country.
The evidence of that time suggests that Marcus Aurelius won the love of the population, thanks to his wisdom and prudence in making decisions. 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 confrontations depleted the state treasury.
Marcus Aurelius solved most of these difficulties using his own finances and inheritance.
During his reign, the following activities and reforms were carried out:
- Legal proceedings have been streamlined, many ancient laws 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 care for them, made Marcus Aurelius popular among the inhabitants of Rome;
- Institutions were set up to care for the sick and those who were maimed;
- The taxation system was improved, with the largest contributions to the treasury to be made by the nobility. With the money received, special shelters were opened for the poor, the needy and orphans;
- Colleges were founded;
- Four philosophical chairs were established in the city of Athens. Each of the departments represented one of the main ancient philosophical currents: stoic, academic, epicurean, peripatetic. All professors who worked in the departments received salaries from the state treasury;
- Compulsory registration of newborns was introduced;
- The vice police was created;
- The prestige of the Senate was strengthened;
- From now on, all gladiators before performances were armed only with blunt swords, and special insurance was created for tightrope walkers 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 clash with barbarian tribes - Sarmatians and Germans. The emperor personally led the fight against them. Only by 175 was a peace signed, as a result of which the ancient Germans began to settle in the territories occupied by Roman garrisons.
In the same year, the population of Syria again rebelled, where the local ruler Avilius Cassius declared himself the new Roman ruler. It was he who spread for three months the rumor that Marcus Aurelius had died. Cassius was killed by his accomplices, after which the emperor solemnly traveled around the eastern provinces of the state. He began his journey in Alexandria, from there he advanced 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 Aurey was his son Commodus. The last years of the life of the sovereign of Great Rome were not calm. He fought all the time with the Germans, 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 peaceful emperor when compared with his predecessors. Of the 21 years of independent rule - 14 he spent in military campaigns, defending Rome and his citizens.
Immediately after the death of the emperor, he was elevated to the rank of a deity, having built a temple 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 the Capitoline Hill they put an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, which stands there now.
Family and Children
Antony Pius also controlled Mark's personal life, therefore he did not allow his adopted son to marry a girl named Ceyonia. Instead, he was betrothed to Pius' daughter, Faustina. 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 marriage. 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, gladiators. Rumors about the adventures of his wife reached Marcus Aurelius, but he did not dare to dissolve the marriage, which was blessed by his beloved foster 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 campaigns, loved her.
Faustina died during a campaign in one of the provinces of the empire. This loss crippled the ruler, he long grieved for the "mother of the camps", as Marcus Aurelius called his wife.
The couple had 13 common children, but only the son Commodus, who inherited his father, and four daughters survived.
The first daughter was born in 147 and she was named Anna. In honor of this event, the then emperor Anthony Pius elevated his adopted son to the rank of tribune. The girl lived until the age of 165.
Other children of the emperor were called:
- Gemellus Lucius and Anna Aurelia Lussilla (twins), the boy died in 150, and the girl married her father's co-ruler Lucius Verus (died in 182);
- Titus Elius Antoninus, Titus Ellius Aurelius and Domitia Faustina (born after 150, died about 161);
- Adrianus (152-157);
- Annia Aurellia (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 - entered 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, 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.
Artist: Joseph Siffred Duplessis "Marcus Aurelius".
Roman emperor (161-180) from the Antonin dynasty, philosopher, one of the most significant representatives of Roman stoicism, a follower of Epictetus
Wrote 12 volumes under the general title "Discourses about myself"
Mark Annius Catilius Severus, who went down in history under the name of Marcus Aurelius, was born in Rome on April 26, 121 and was the son of Annius Verus and Domitia Lucilla. Marcus Aurelius treated his mother with deep respect and believed that he owed her "piety, generosity and abstinence only from bad deeds, but also from bad thoughts, as well as a simple way of life, far from any luxury "
In 139, after the death of his father, he was adopted by the emperor Antonina Pius and became known as Marc Elius Aurelius Ver Caesar, later as emperor he bore the official name Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antonin August (or Mark Antonin August)
Marcus Aurelius received an excellent education. According to the will of his maternal grandfather, he was educated at home.
Mark mentions Diognetus, who introduced him to philosophy and at the same time taught painting. This teacher, according to Mark himself, freed the student from superstitions and forced him to write dialogues On the advice of the same teacher, the future emperor, under the influence of the philosophical views he had learned, began to sleep on bare boards covered with animal skin.
Emperor Adrian, who loved the young man very much, called him - alluding to his name Ver ("truthful") and his truthfulness - Verissim ("truthful") At the age of fifteen, Mark received a man's toga Even during the life of Adrian, Mark, despite his young age, was scheduled to be a quaestor, and six months after the death of Adrian, he assumed the position of quaestor (December 5, 138), that is, he began to practically engage in administrative activities.
In the same year he was engaged to Faustina, daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius, successor to Hadrian on the throne. declared Caesar In 140, Mark became consul for the first time. By the will of Pius, and against his will, he moved to the Palatine Hill in 139 to live in close proximity to the emperor.
Despite his high position and participation in the affairs of government, Mark did not interrupt his scientific studies. He received a higher education in the form in which it was then received in high Roman society. The main subject was rhetoric.
In 145, Mark became consul for the second time, together with Pius. Immediately after this secondary consulship, Mark's marriage to Faustina was formalized. The reputation of this woman was not as beautiful as her appearance, rumor stubbornly claimed that she chose her lovers from sailors and gladiators "When Marcus Aurelius was told about her behavior, advising her to divorce her if he did not want to execute her, he is said to have said "If I divorce my wife, then I will need to return her dowry to her" And what else could be considered a dowry, if not imperial power "
At the age of 25, Mark switched to philosophy. Mark's predecessors (Adrian, Pius) also had respect for philosophy and philosophers, but none of them had such a craving for philosophical teachings as Mark had for Stoic teaching. Quintus was the main mentor of Mark in philosophy. Junius Rusticus, who put into his hands the writings of Epictetus
There is information about other philosophers called for Mark to Rome. Mark's leader in the study of civil law was the famous legal adviser Volusius Metian. Little is known about Mark's life in 141-161.
In addition to Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius adopted Lucius Verus
On January 1, 16] of the year, Mark entered his third consulship with his adopted brother. In March of the same year, the emperor Antoninus Pius died and the joint reign of Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus began, which lasted until January 169. During the period of their joint reign, Marcus Aurelius always had the decisive word . Lucius Ver was distinguished by his licentiousness and excessive propensity for a wild life.
It makes no sense to list in chronological order those honorary titles received by Marcus Aurelius, already the bearer of supreme power, which usually fell to the lot of Roman emperors. received the honorary title of emperor
After the end of the Parthian War, he celebrated a triumph together with Lucius Verus, another triumph took place in 177 on the occasion of victories over the northern tribes, Marcus Aurelius learned a lot from his adoptive father Antoninus Pius
Agreement with the senate and respect for the senatorial class was one of the rules that Antoninus Pius consistently observed. Among the laudable qualities of his adoptive father, Mark called the lack of enthusiasm for novelty. and something more - Antoninus Pius did not show a desire to be original in state events, he acted within the traditional framework of the Roman imperial administration
Like Antoninus Pius, Mark in every way emphasized his respect for the senate as an institution and for the senators as members of this institution (asserted in the biography of Marcus Aurelius attributed to Julius Capitolinus). never left before the presiding consul closed the meeting with the sacramental phrase "We do not detain you any longer, fathers senators"
Before taking money from the treasury, he turned to the senate for permission, he repeatedly said that he would not allow a senator to be executed in his reign. The judicial functions of the senate were expanded. The emperor gave tribune and aedile positions to impoverished people of the senatorial class , he declared invalid the marriages of women of this class with freedmen
The impoverishment of Roman citizenship was caused by the establishment of an alimentary fund for the education of orphans of Roman citizens Funds came from landowners who pledged their land holdings to the state with the obligation to pay a certain percentage to the state Marcus Aurelius continued the long-established tradition of entertaining the Roman people with spectacles and making free distributions
There are, however, reports that he himself showed indifference to spectacles
Mark paid great attention to litigation Constantly having experienced lawyers in his environment, he used their advice
Mark was distrustful of scammers, for a false denunciation a "spot of dishonor" was imposed. Taking care of the replenishment of the state treasury necessary to cover military expenses, Mark, avoiding extraordinary taxes on the provinces, arranged an auction on the forum of Trajan, where gold, crystal and gold belonging to the emperor were sold. murrine cups and vessels, women's clothing, gems found in Hadrian's secret treasury, as well as statues and paintings of famous masters, the proceeds from the auction were enough to cover all military expenses
In spending public funds, the emperor showed frugality. During his stay in Athens, he established four departments of philosophy there - for each of the philosophical trends that dominated his time - academic, peripatetic, stoic epicurean. The state content was assigned to professors
In the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Empire was besieged, not counting the wars, great troubles. At the very beginning of his reign, a great flood occurred. The Tiber overflowed its banks and caused much destruction in Rome, a significant number of cattle died, famine began among the population Emperors (Mark and Ver) helped In the last years of the reign of Mark (177), an earthquake destroyed the city of Smyrna, and he generously released money for its restoration
On this occasion, an ancient source says that Mark gave money to many cities - being generally thrifty, he did not skimp when it came to necessary expenses. Marcus Aurelius was by no means a warlike sovereign. Moreover, he had a very low estimate of military glory. At the very beginning of the reign of Mark, hostilities took place in Britain and in Germany, from where the Hatti invaded Greece.
Later, the Moors devastated the Spanish provinces. There were unrest in the Lusitania. Apparently, in all the places listed, the actions of the Roman generals were successful and led to the defeat, or, in any case, to the reflection of the enemies. The most serious events that required the special attention of the Roman government took place on the eastern and northern borders of the empire. In the East, Rome's longtime rival, the Parthian state, immediately after the death of Antoninus Pius began to show activity.
The Parthians invaded the Roman possessions and defeated the Romans in two battles. The Roman Empire made peace with Parthia in 166 on rather favorable terms for itself, in particular, the cities of northwestern Mesopotamia remained behind Rome - Edessa, Karr, Nisibis. The victory of the Romans was largely brought to naught by the fact that in 165 a plague broke out in the Roman troops stationed in the East. The epidemic spread to Asia Minor, to Egypt, and then to Italy and the Rhine. In 167, a plague struck Rome.
In the same year, powerful Germanic tribes of the Marcomanni and Quadi, as well as the Sarmatians, invaded the Roman possessions on the Danube. The co-emperors set out on a campaign against the barbarians. In 169, Lucius Ver died. The war with the Germans and Sarmatians had not yet ended, as unrest began in Northern Egypt (the so-called shepherd uprising in 172). After the suppression of the uprising in Egypt and after the end of the war with the Germans and Sarmatians in 175, the governor of Syria, Avid Cassius, an outstanding commander, proclaimed himself emperor, and Marcus Aurelius was in danger of losing power.
Ancient historians write about this event like this" "Avidius Cassius, who in the East proclaimed himself emperor, was killed by soldiers against the will of Marcus Aurelius and without his knowledge. Upon learning of the uprising, Marcus Aurelius was not very angry and did not apply any harsh measures to the children and relatives of Avidya Cassius. The Senate declared him an enemy and "confiscated his property. Marcus Aurelius did not want it to go to the imperial treasury, and therefore, at the direction of the Senate, it went to the state treasury. Marcus Aurelius did not order, but only allowed Avidius Cassius to be killed, so that for everyone it was it is clear that he would spare him if it depended on him"
"When Avidius Cassius encroached on the imperial dignity in Syria. Marcus Aurelius was delivered a bunch of letters addressed by Cassius to the conspirators, as the one who was supposed to deliver them was captured. Marcus Aurelius, without opening, ordered these letters to be burned immediately so as not to to know the names of your enemies and not to hate them involuntarily."
“When one Roman began to reproach Marcus Aurelius for condescension towards Cassius, who had revolted Avidius, and asked:“ What if he won? so he could win." Then listing all the emperors who had been killed, he said that there were reasons why they deserved to be killed, and that no good emperor was so easily defeated by a tyrant and killed."
In 177, Rome fought the Mauritanians and won. In 178, the Marcomanni and other tribes again moved into the Roman possessions. Marcus Aurelius, together with his son Commodus, led a campaign against the Germans, and he managed to achieve great success, but the plague began again in the Roman troops. On March 17, 180, Marcus Aurelius died of the plague in Vindobona on the Danube (modern Vienna). Two days before his death, he told his friends that he was upset not at all by the fact that he was dying, but by the fact that he leaves behind such a son: Commodus has already shown himself dissolute and cruel.
About Marcus Aurelius, ancient historians speak as follows: "Marcus Aurelius constantly repeated the saying of Plato: "States would flourish if philosophers were rulers or if rulers were philosophers."
“From all other inclinations, Marcus Aurelius was distracted by philosophical studies, which made him serious and concentrated. However, his friendliness did not disappear from this, which he showed first of all in relation to his relatives, then to friends, and also to less familiar He was honest without intransigence, humble without weakness, serious without sullenness."
"He addressed the people in the way that was customary in a free state. He showed exceptional tact in all cases when it was necessary either to keep people from evil, or to induce them to do good, richly reward some, justify, showing indulgence, others. He He made bad people good and good people excellent, even enduring the ridicule of some. ".
"Before doing anything, he always - not only in military affairs, but also in civilian affairs - consulted with persons in high positions. His favorite saying was. "It is fairer for me to follow the advice of so many experienced friends than so many experienced friends obey my will, the will of one person." "He possessed all the virtues and a divine mind and was, as it were, the protector of people from all social disasters. If he had not been born at that time, then the entire Roman world would have collapsed in a single fall. After all, there was no rest at all from wars, they burned throughout the East, in Illyria, Italy, Gaul, earthquakes occurred, sometimes swallowing entire cities, there were floods of rivers, frequent epidemics, locusts devouring fields; in general, it is impossible to imagine a single national disaster that would not rage during his reign.
In Rome, a kind of monument to Marcus Aurelius is the triumphal column, built in 176-193 on the model of Trajan's column. at the top stood a bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius (subsequently replaced by a statue of Paul). Inside the column, a staircase of 203 steps is illuminated by 56 light holes. The area, in the center of which stands the column of Marcus Aurelius, is succinctly called Piazza Column.
On Capitoline Square there is a monument to Marcus Aurelius - the only surviving antique bronze equestrian statue (in the Middle Ages it was located on the square in front of the Lateran Palace, which was the residence of the pope; the statue survived only because it was considered the image of Emperor Constantine the Great, who patronized Christians and has always been deeply respect them).
Between the beginning of 172 and 174, the so-called miracle with rain occurred. Without asking whether there was one or two miracles, let us note the essence of the matter, the thirsty Roman army suddenly "miraculously" received a lot of rain moisture; Christian tradition ascribed merit to Christian soldiers - at their prayer, rain was sent down; according to another legend, the merit belongs to the Egyptian magician Arnufis, who was in the army; the third version, presumably the official one, connected the appearance of rain with the prayers of the emperor.
Between the wars, Marcus Aurelius visited the East. The reason for the trip was the rebellion of Avidius Cassius in Syria. A prominent commander declared himself emperor, dissolving a rumor or taking advantage of the rumor about the death of Marcus Aurelius. Only the governor of Egypt supported Cassius, the governor of Cappadocia remained faithful to Mark. The rebellion did not last long (3 months and 6 days). Avidius Cassius was killed by one of his accomplices. Mark treated the family of Avidius and the participants in the rebellion generously (only a few centurions were executed).
It was decided not to appoint natives of the provinces as governors (Avidius Cassius was a native of Syria, which he ruled). Mark arrived in the eastern provinces after the suppression of the rebellion. He visited Alexandria, Syria, Cappadocia (here in 175 at the foot of Taurus he buried his wife Faustina), Smyrna, Greece (in particular, Athens, where he was initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries) Marcus Aurelius asked the Senate to bestow divine honors on Faustina and build a temple ; he delivered a commendable speech, although the rumor stubbornly accused his late wife of immorality.
Marcus Aurelius either did not know anything about this, or pretended not to know. He thanked the Senate for declaring Faustina divine: she accompanied him on all summer campaigns, and he called her "the mother of the camps." After a short rest in Lavinia, the emperor visited Rome, and then went to the north, where - in 177 - the war with the Quads and Marcomanni began again. 179 was marked by a major victory for Roman weapons. March 17, 180 in Vindobona (Vienna) - or in Syrmia The cause of his death is usually considered to be plague
More recently, in a joint work of two authors - a historian and a physician - arguments are made in favor of another diagnosis of the disease of Marcus Aurelius, the symptoms speak of a stomach ulcer. After his death, Mark was officially deified, a temple was built in his honor and priests were appointed. The reign of Marcus Aurelius is considered the golden age in ancient historical tradition; Mark himself is presented in this tradition as an ideal ruler, chiefly for his humanity.
Some of the subsequent emperors, in order to raise their prestige, either themselves or their sons gave the name Antoninus Those who call Mark a philosopher on the throne are certainly right. from the philosophical and moral side and advice on how to treat it. His philosophical essay entitled "Alone with myself" (or "To himself") is a note not intended for publication, it is a kind of reflection on life, in which he refers to himself, trying to understand the surrounding reality.
Mark is aware of the frailty of life: "Time is a river, a swift stream. Only something will appear, as it is already rushing past, but another rushes by, and again the first is in sight." Time is infinite, and before this infinity, the duration of each human life is a moment, and life in relation to this infinity is extremely insignificant "Everyone's life is insignificant, that corner of the earth where he lives is insignificant." "Remember also that everyone lives only in the present minute moment."
Marcus Aurelius also reflects on the memory that remains after the death of a person. “Everything is short-lived and soon begins to resemble a myth, and then indulges in complete oblivion. And I’m also talking about people who at one time were surrounded by an extraordinary halo. ". What is eternal glory? "Sheer vanity." Assessing his life, the life of past times, Marcus Aurelius concludes that it is rather monotonous and does not give anything new, everything is the same, everything repeats. the times of Vespasian, and you will see everything the same as now" people marry, raise children, get sick, die, wage wars, celebrate festivities, travel, cultivate the land, flatter, indulge in arrogance, suspect, slander, wish the death of others , grumble at the present, love, collect treasures, achieve honorary positions and the throne What has become of their life, it has perished. whole nations and pay attention to how many people died soon after reaching the cherished goal and decomposed into elements "
These words reflected the pessimistic mood of the whole era in which Marcus Aurelius lived. It was an era of disillusionment and fatigue that engulfed entire nations. True, in this vain life there are moral values that one should strive for, these are justice, truth, prudence, courage. He also refers socially useful activities, citizenship to true values, which oppose such imaginary, in his opinion, values as " approval of the crowd, power, wealth, a life full of pleasures.
Marcus Aurelius looks at a person as a complex social being who, on the one hand, lives in the present, vain, and on the other hand, his activity pursues long-term goals. Therefore, he condemns the one who does not coordinate his deeds with higher goals, by which he understands the good State Marcus Aurelius believes that, despite the futility of human life, he faces high moral tasks, which he, in obedience to duty, must fulfill
And in this he is helped by the philosophy "To philosophize means to protect the inner genius from reproach and flaw, to ensure that he becomes higher than pleasures and sufferings, so that there is no recklessness, no deceit, no hypocrisy in his actions, so that it does not concern him, whether his neighbor does or does not do anything, so that he looks at everything that happens and is given to him as a result from where he himself came from, and most importantly, that he resignedly waits for death, as a simple decomposition of those elements from which every living being is made up
In his work, Mark only once recalls Christians. The soul of a person must be ready to renounce the body, and this readiness must stem from one’s own judgment, without a shade of militancy characteristic of Christians, deliberately, strictly, convincingly, without theatricality. It is these last conditions that Marcus Aurelius did not found among Christians
The intolerance of Christians towards other people's beliefs completes the list of those traits of their behavior that explain Mark's antipathy to Christianity From the notes of Marcus Aurelius it follows that he deeply believed in the existence of gods who are baked for the good of people He emphasized his respect for traditional religion, performing in Rome before departure Roman (and foreign) rituals to war, and in Attica, having taken initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries
In his essay “To Yourself” there are the following words: “Always zealously take care that the work in which you are currently engaged is performed in a manner worthy of a Roman and a husband, with full and sincere cordiality, with love for people, with freedom and justice, and also about putting aside all other ideas from yourself. You will succeed if you perform each deed as the last in your life, free frompassions of disregard for the dictates of reason, from hypocrisy and dissatisfaction with one's fate "