Marcus Aurelius (121–180) was the Roman emperor philosopher. During the nineteen years of his reign, troubled by wars on the frontiers and a terrible epidemic, he wrote down for himself, in Greek, Stoic reflections on how to live, on death and on the order of nature, known as the Meditations.
A chosen young man
Marcus Annius Verus was born in Rome in 121 into an aristocratic family of Spanish origin. The emperor Hadrian, who liked him, arranged the succession: he had his heir Antoninus adopt the young Marcus and Lucius Verus.
Marcus received the best education of his time from many teachers, including the orator Fronto, with whom he corresponded. He discovered Stoic philosophy, notably through the Discourses of Epictetus, which marked him deeply.
The emperor
On the death of Antoninus in 161, Marcus became emperor and shared power with Lucius Verus, an arrangement without precedent. His reign was darkened by war against the Parthians in the East and then by the Antonine plague, an epidemic brought back by the army that killed millions.
From 167 Germanic peoples crossed the Danube. Marcus spent much of his last years in military camps along the river, leading hard campaigns against the Quadi and the Marcomanni.
The Meditations
In these camps he wrote, probably for his own use, the twelve books of his Meditations. In them he urges himself to patience, kindness towards others, duty and acceptance of death, in a world where everything passes.
He died in 180, probably at Vindobona, modern Vienna, or at Sirmium, during a campaign, and was succeeded by his son Commodus. His Meditations, preserved by chance, have become one of the most widely read books of wisdom in the world.
Anecdotes
The equestrian statue
The bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius on the Capitoline Hill in Rome escaped being melted down in the Middle Ages because it was believed to represent Constantine, the first Christian emperor. The original is now protected in the Capitoline Museums.
The column
In Rome's Piazza Colonna stands a column nearly thirty metres high whose spiral reliefs tell the story of Marcus Aurelius's wars against the Germanic tribes, including a famous scene of a miraculous rainstorm saving the Roman army.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Meditations?
Twelve books of personal reflections written in Greek by the emperor during his military campaigns, on how to live according to Stoic wisdom.
Was Marcus Aurelius a Stoic?
Yes. Deeply influenced by Epictetus, he practised Stoic philosophy throughout his life while ruling the empire.
Which translation of the Meditations is quoted on Guesseo?
The translation by George Long, first published in 1862.