In the heart of ancient Rome Within the hallowed halls of prestige and power there's a person whose life unfolds as a
fascinating story of destiny and choice confronted by tragedies and the burden
of decisions that will impact millions Marcus Aurelius a Roman emperor keeps a collection of private
journals to examine his actions and to navigate the complexity of moral dilemma written for the purpose of
self-improvements and self-reflections this collection of journals wasn't intended to be ma
de public yet it ends up being a subject of great interest earning Marcus Aurelius the title of the philosopher king however we are not entirely sure how this collection of journals were preserved and became so widely accessible the earliest mention of Marcus's journals happened almost 800 years after it was written it comes from a Christian Bishop named Arethas of Caesarea in the early 10th Century who wrote about the journals in a letter saying that he wished to transcribe a
piece of the old
copy in his possession since the journal mainly consists
of Marcus's private thoughts Marcus never gave these writings a formal title but in 1634 the book was translated into English and given the name of meditations this title then became famous worldwide inspiring people from all over the world however while Marcus's Legacy is often
remembered in quotes and phrases to truly understand and fully appreciate
the value of these reflections we must uncover the complexity and
life experiences of
the man himself this is the life and
meditations of Marcus Aurelius in the distant past long before the world will come to know him as Marcus Aurelius he was a young boy born into a prestigious
family as Marcus Annius Verus the third who grew up when Emperor Hadrian
was ruling the Roman Empire Marcus's family were incredibly wealthy and held important positions
in the emperor's court Marcus's father passed away
where Marcus was still a child leaving Marcus in the care of his grandfather wh
o was not only a consul but also served as a city prefect and well trusted by emperor Hadrian born into a family of high social standing Marcus received great education from
some of the best teachers in Rome during this formative years Marcus discovered the works
of stoic philosophers such as Plato Heraclitus and Epictetus which had a great impact on
Marcus's beliefs and characteristics after learning that the stoics practice Asceticism and detachment from material comforts young Marcus start
ed wearing a greek cloak and even chose to sleep on a hard floor rather than on a soft bed which greatly worried his mother Marcus's mother tried to
persuade him to change his mind but Marcus held on to his
preference for simplicity Marcus's unique personality is well known it even caught the attention of Emperor Hadrian who also share a deep interest in philosophy impressed by young Marcus's moral
character and unwavering honesty Emperor Hadrian even playfully refer to Marcus Annius Verus as
Verrisimus meaning the truest or the most truthful this connection between young
Marcus and Emperor Hadrian formed through their share
passion for stoic philosophy laid the foundation for a remarkable relationship that will end up shaping Marcus's future its far-reaching consequences extend to shape the grand destiny of Rome becoming a small contributing factor to stability prosperity and a series of events that will eventually lead to the fall of the Roman on the recommendation of Emperor Ha
drian Marcus entered the equestrian
order at a very young age thanks to the emperor's support he also became a member of the prestigious College of Sali which is a respected religious group dedicated to Mars the Roman God of War these early years are only the beginning of remarkable changes in young Marcus's life at the age of 15 Emperor Hadrian arranged
for Marcus to be engaged to Ceionia Fabia who is the daughter of Hadrian's adopted son| Lucius Aelius Caesar in this time of the Antonine dyn
asty Emperor hadrian without children of his own decides on the system of
succession through adoptions initially Lucius Aelius Caesar
is chosen to be the next emperor but destiny had a different plan Lucius's Aelius Caesar falls
ill and pass away unexpectedly interrupting the plan for succession and causing Marcus's marriage to be put on hold after careful consideration Emperor Hadrian then decides
to select a new successor Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionus Antoninus this choice is made even mor
e significant because Antoninus is married to Annia Galleria Faustina who just so happens to be Marcus's aunt this family connection firmly links
Marcus to the line of potential emperors however Emperor Hadrian then decides to take
a step further to secure the Empire's future in a strange but strategic move he asked his new successor Antoninus to adopt both Marcus and the
son of Lucius Aelius Caesar as part of this adoption both Marcus and young Lucius
will also change their name to include
Aelius Aurelius symbolizing their connection
to the two heirs of the throne Historia Augusta an ancient historical source recounts a fascinating story about the day Marcus was officially
adopted into the royal family according to this account Marcus had a dream and saw himself
having shoulders made of ivory capable of carrying heavy burdens additionally when he finds out that both Emperor Hadrian and
Antoninus have formerly adopted him surprisingly Marcus isn't happy instead he felt worried
and uneasy as part of the adoption Marcus must leave his house and move to Hadrian's private home a transition that he makes reluctantly when questioned by his
family why he appears unhappy with such a prestigious adoption into royalty Marcus simply pointed out all the evil things that could come in a position of such responsibility in 138 ad Emperor Hadrian pass away
after years of declining health and Antoninus step on to the throne as part of the succession process Antoninus takes on a new
name Imperator Caesar Titus Aelius
Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius but his often referred to as Antoninus Pius this change in power marks a
crucial moment in Marcus's life under the guidance of the new emperor Antoninus Marcus commits himself to hard work demonstrating his abilities and learning all the skills that's
required for managing the Roman Empire Marcus Rises through the political ranks rapidly indicating Antoninus's clear preference
for him over his adoptive brother Lucius but Lu
cius doesn't seem to care because Lucius is more interested
in parties than governance Emperor Antoninus is very fond of Marcus and this strong affection had a great impact in the Emperor's decisions most notably Antoninus even decides to cancel Marcus's previous engagement to Ceionia Fabia instead he arranged a marriage between
Marcus and his own biological daughter Faustina the younger to secure Marcus's place in the imperial family since Marcus's own father passed
away when Marcus was stil
l a child Emperor Antoninus became his father figure in Marcus's journals Marcus even dedicates a long passage to honor
his adopted father's remarkable qualities he wrote that his father Antoninus is calm and doesn't easily change his mind
after making a deliberate decision he doesn't show off or brag about himself instead he dedicated himself to hard work additionally he's always willing to listen he's fair and gives people what they deserve and with experience he knows
when it's time to act
strongly and when it's time to take a break Emperor Antoninus is widely
regarded to be a great leader well known for his unwavering
dedication to stability and justice for 23 years Marcus would work closely with Emperor Antoninus the emperor's wisdom and humble approach to power personally witnessed by Marcus would eventually serve as the
foundation for Marcus's own leadership when the time comes for him to take the throne little does he know just how
important this preparation would be as
in the future Marcus will
face many devastating crisis far worse than those encountered by Antoninus Pius in the year 161 ad Antoninus pass away at the age of 74 and Marcus step onto the throne as the new emperor but with all the power that he has Marcus makes a groundbreaking choice as the true authority behind the throne Marcus has the option to exile execute or simply ignore his adoptive brother Lucius but Marcus decides to elevate Lucius insisting that his adoptive brother share the throne
with him as co-emperor this marks a unique chapter in Roman history because it's the first time two
Emperors rule simultaneously to honor his adoptive father Antoninus Marcus changes his name to Imperator Caesar Marcus
Aurelius Antoninus Augustus but he often simply referred to as Marcus Aurelius in a symbolic gesture he then passes on the
name Verus to his adoptive brother Lucius who becomes Imperator Caesar
Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus or simply known as Lucius Verus to prevent potential
power struggles and to
strengthen the unity within the royal family Marcus decides to take a step further arranging the engagement between
Lucius and Marcus's own daughter Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla this unusual decision makes Lucius not only as co-emperor but also as Marcus's son-in-law symbolizing that share commitment in managing the Roman
Empire however despite their shared rulings Marcus Aurelius handles most of the governing work often overshadowing Lucius Verus's contributions Marcu
s just like Antoninus is a hardworking and dedicated Emperor he would go to great lengths spending up to 12 Days on a single trial to ensure fairness in judgments with little time to create new policies Marcus focuses on improving existing laws particularly in areas such as child support for poor families inheritance and civil law while Rome is the Empire's imperial city Marcus's court is primarily
located in central Europe because his time as emperor is
dominated by the difficulties of wars a
nd epidemics cities in the Eastern provinces
are devastated by earthquakes and shortly after the Tiber
River in Rome overflows causing a massive flood that results in widespread destruction to livestock crops properties and the spread of disease however despite all these problems Marcus's biggest concern and the most significant financial burden are the ongoing Wars with multiple enemies after the passing of Antoninus tension rises on the borders of the Empire resulting in conflicts with the B
ritish Germanic tribes and the Parthians in the East while the British Rebellion is quickly suppressed the Parthian invasion is a much greater challenge in 163 ad after careful consideration both Emperors decide that Lucius who is younger and in better health should travel to Syria to handle the situation in the years that follow Lucius with the support of skilled
generals and advisers on his side orchestrates a military response that not only drives the Parthians
out of the Roman territory bu
t also leads to a triumphant
Roman invasion of Parthia it is a remarkable success resulting
in the sacking of Ctesiphon the Parthian capital and the complete destruction
of the Parthian palace but unfortunately the Romans couldn't make the most of their victory shortly after a mysterious plague breaks out in the eastern army soldiers returning from the Parthian
War carries the sickness back with them sparking a widespread pandemic
now known as the Antonine plague causing devastation not onl
y in the city but also throughout the countryside during this time the northern frontier of the Roman Empire
is under attack from the Germanic tribes while both Marcus and Lucius are
heading north to deal with this crisis the devastating pandemic rapidly
spreads among their troops this alarming situation forces
both Emperors to return to Rome but tragically Lucius doesn't complete the journey in 169 ad Lucius pass away unexpectedly at the age of 38 possibly due to the plague with the widespr
ead pandemic and the ongoing track of invasions the tragic passing of Lucius
leaves Marcus as the sole emperor forcing him to face all the
challenges of the empire by himself there's no time for grieving Marcus's responsibilities become
heavier without Lucius by his side the solution for the Antonine
plague is still a mystery with limited medical understanding at the time treatments probably relied heavily on prayers and herbal remedies social distancing is impossible due to the dense popula
tions in towns and cities so the disease is basically left to run its course causing enormous sufferings for many years because of the plague the treasury is running out of money instead of burdening the
public by increasing taxes Marcus decides to auction off
valuable Treasures from the palace to address the financial difficulties meanwhile the ongoing treat of Northern invasion continues before the year ends Marcus
sets for on another journey up to the Danube river to
confront the northern
crisis and he wouldn't be able to return
to Rome for many years to come it is speculated that Marcus
wrote the majority of his journals the meditations during this military campaigns along
the Danube in the early 170s ad it is very likely that Marcus
was deeply troubled by the war and the devastating impact of the Antonine plague these are challenging times filled with tragedy uncertainty and the heavy burden of
leadership responsibilities in his journals Marcus even urges himself to maint
ain a mindset of clear and rational thinking to act selflessly and to accept the world as it is without his co-emperor Lucius Marcus must have felt a sense of loneliness confronted with tough decisions
that would impact millions it's no surprise that Marcus would
turn to stoicism and self-reflections as a way to handle the moral
challenges of governance and warfare the impediment to action advances action what stands in the way becomes the way waste no more time arguing
about what a good man
should be be one in his journals Marcus set very high standards for himself striving for ideals that are
almost impossible to achieve he often thinks about humanity and contemplates the small fleeting
nature of the physical world throughout his life Marcus battles with sickness and often takes medicine to reduce his pain some historians suggest that his intense and apocalyptic tone in his writings could be signs of a drug addiction however what remains certain is
that Marcus's worries and co
ncerns seems to reflect the overall mood of his time after all his worries are not without reason years later Rome will find itself in even greater trouble pushing the once magnificent
empire to the edge of disaster and in the tragic twist of fate a significant part of this future crisis can be traced back to a single decision
made by Marcus Aurelius himself a decision some might say was the greatest mistake of his life in 175 ad Marcus face the loss of his wife Faustina the younger there are
many unkind stories that were told about alleged affairs involving Faustina but these shocking rumors were
not unusual in the royal family and these stories are more likely
to be fake or greatly exaggerated regardless Marcus dedicates a tribute
to Faustina in his journals he expresses gratitude for the wife that he has emphasizing her obedience affection and simplicity Marcus's actions seem to genuinely convey
his appreciation and respect for Faustina challenging any negative rumors
they ma
y have surrounded her Faustina and Marcus had a large
family with more than 12 children unfortunately many children
do not survive into adulthood only six of Marcus's children live to grow up five daughters and their only son Commodus after the passing of Faustina Marcus Aurelius seems to sense that he is
also getting close to the end of his life in 177 ad hoping to prepare his 15-year-old
son Commodus for leadership Marcus made a major decision he appointed his son Commodus as co-emperor an
d involved Commodus in the military campaigns
against the Germanic tribes along the Danube unknowingly Marcus's decision to make Commodus as co-emperor will later be considered to be the
worst decision that he's ever made but Marcus didn't even live long
enough to see how it turn out on the 17th of March 180 ad the great emperor Marcus Aurelius pass away at the age of 58 his health had never been good and the Antonine plague in
the empire is still ongoing which might have weakened him furthe
r the final entry in his
journals is tragically fitting he wrote that even the people who only care about pleasure do not see death as a significant threat for those who value doing what is right regardless of the amount of their actions or the duration of their time death is not something to be feared life is like a stage performance with chapters decided by a higher power much like a Praetor ending
a play before its completion in life the ending is not within our control but is decided by th
e same natural
force that brought us into existence so when the time comes leave this world in satisfaction knowing that the one who is
responsible for our ending must be satisfied with our performance with Marcus's passing the future of the Roman
Empire takes a drastic turn Marcus's son Commodus becomes the sole Emperor but despite Marcus's virtuous and good intentions he couldn't guarantee that
his son would follow his path Commodus who are groomed for leadership chooses a path of self-ind
ulgence
and a lavish display of power recklessly depleting the wealth of Rome and leaving the empire in chaos his tyrannical leadership and ruthless governance eventually spark civil war ending 84 years of stability
within the Roman Empire after multiple disasters his reckless behavior ultimately lead to his own violent removal Marcus's life is bittersweet Marcus Aurelius will always be
remembered for his nobility and virtues earning him a reputation as one
of the best Emperors in Rome yet h
is own son Commodus goes down in history as one of the worst Emperors nevertheless Marcus's Legacy
lives on within meditations revealing a man who battled against all odds in his quest for self-perfection in many ways Marcus's writings
are his lasting gift to the world his true enduring legacy one that even outlast the
magnificence of the Roman Empire
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