The Philosopher King: Marcus Aurelius and the Twilight of the Pax Romana
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Show Notes
In this episode, we explore the life and reign of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor who ruled from 161 to 180 AD and is remembered as a dedicated Stoic philosopher. We trace his unique path to the throne, from his adoption by Antoninus Pius at the request of Emperor Hadrian to his unprecedented decision to share equal imperial powers with his adoptive brother, Lucius Verus.
Discover how a man devoted to philosophy spent much of his reign commanding armies during the Parthian War in the East and the Marcomannic Wars against Germanic tribes in the North. We also examine the domestic crises that defined his era, including the devastating Antonine Plague and the great flood of the Tiber,. Finally, we discuss his enduring literary legacy, the Meditations, and the controversial succession of his son Commodus, which the historian Cassius Dio described as a descent from "a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust".