Who Was Marcus Aurelius: Plato’s Philosopher King

Marcus Aurelius ( 121 – 180 AD) was one of the five good Roman Emperors. Yet, he was more than that, and that was part of what made him so good; he was a Stoic philosopher. He was the closest to Plato’s ideal of a philosopher king. We can learn more about him in his letters to his teacher Fronto, the many legislations he enacted as Emperor, and the information passed on to us from contemporary historians. But he is best known for his Meditations. which is still being read today, inspiring millions of readers. These were his innermost thoughts he documented in his private journal. Not meant for publication, yet here it is. Making sure that his actions and thoughts echo throughout eternity, at least until our present day.

Born as Marcus Annius Verus he joined an influential and distinguished family. His birth was during his grandfather’s second term as a consul. His grandfather was also partly responsible for raising Marcus Aurelius, as his father died while he was very young. This was his first encounter with death, which would be followed by many others throughout his life. It’s been said in some biographies that he was a serious child, but also active in sports such as boxing, wrestling, running, and falconry. He would also receive a good education and training during his childhood, speaking both Greek and Latin and studying subjects like rhetoric and philosophy.

The Path to Becoming Emperor

At an early age, Marcus Aurelius crossed paths with the emperor of the time, Hadrian. Who was fond of the young Roman and bestowed him the equestrian order around the age of 6. A few years later he appointed him to the College of the Salii. And he appreciated how honest and forthright Marcus Aurelius was, giving him the nickname Verissimus. Meaning the truthful one. The Emperor himself was childless and to make sure he had a successor, he first appointed Lucius Ceionius Commodus as his heir. When he passed away too early, Hadrian had to come up with another plan. He then went for the senator Titus Aurelius Antoninus, with the provision that he would adopt Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. The latter being the son of Ceionius Commodus, now part of the family through the adoption of his father by Hadrian and his own adoption by Antoninus.

One reason for selecting Antoninus was because of his age, he was in his fifties. Hadrian expected a short rule which would mean the reigns could be handed over to Marcus Aurelius soon. But Antoninus ended up being the Emperor for 23 years and Marcus Aurelius learned a lot during that time. As we can read in the first chapter of his Mediations where he shows gratitude to his adopted father, Antoninus. Antoninus Pius became the fourth good emperor. His time in office wasn’t as turbulent as others, but he did have to deal with a plaque at the end of it. Which was called the Antonine Plague, a disease supposed to be something like smallpox.

Marcus Aurelius the Emperor

At the age of forty, Marcus Aurelius steps up to the highest level of Roman politics and becomes the most powerful person in the known world. But he immediately makes Lucius Verus his co-ruler. His adopted brother and son-in-law, since Lucius Verus married his daughter, Lucilla. This was the first time in the Roman Empire to have two rulers, but for Marcus Aurelius, it was a strategic move. Since Lucius Verus was also a direct heir to the throne, this could cause trouble, even civil war. Besides that, since Marcus Aurelius was rather frail and wasn’t expected to reign long, the successor would be ready in the younger co-heir. But where in part his Stoic philosophy helped Marcus Aurelius stay in power for almost 20 years, Lucius Verus didn’t make it past the decade. His lifestyle grew worse during his time as the co-emperor.

Marcus Aurelius didn’t have a smooth time as emperor. He inherited the Antonine Plague, which was most likely brought back by the army while on a campaign in the east. As they took over power, the Parthians figured they would test these two young Emperors and attack Armenia. Lucius Verus was sent there with Avidius Cassius, a notorious Roman General. While the young co-emperor went on a spree of debauchery and living it up, Avidius Cassius took care of the war. He would later cause a short-lived civil war having now obtained the trust of the eastern legions.

The Wars in the North

During the last decade as Emperor, Marcus Aurelius was at war with the Germanic tribes of the north. It is also believed that this is when he wrote his Meditations. Book two is titled: “On the River Grawn, Among the Quadi.” and book three is called: “In Carnuntum”. This last location was a major Roman fortress in what is now Austria. After the Parthians were defeated, the wars in the north flared up. Now both Emperors went to the front. But this is where Lucius Verus fell ill and died a few days later. Marcus Aurelius was now responsible for the Roman Empire and their legions, without any real combat experience.

But he learned fast and he had a good right-hand man, senior general, and son-in-law, in the person of Pompeianus. His Stoic teachings would also prove to be of great help during these times and helped him stay calm amidst the death and fighting going on. Somewhere between the first and the second Macromanic wars, a rumor was spread that Marcus Aurelius had died. This caused uproar and a possible power vacuum. The general of the east, Avidius Cassius, seized the moment. He gathered his troops and was ready to assume the throne. But Marcus Aurelius took his well-trained and seasoned troops to meet him. The popularity of the Stoic Emperor was so widespread and the fear for his legions immense, that someone in the ranks of Avidius Cassius decided it wasn’t worth it and killed his general. Preventing a civil war and returning relative peace to the empire.

The Emperor has died, for real this time

 Marcus Aurelius and his wife, Faustina, had many children. But only four daughters and one son made it to adulthood and outlived their father, out of the thirteen in total. His son was Commodus who was made co-ruler in 177 AD and continued after the death of Marcus Aurelius. This beloved Emperor died at the battlefront in the north. It is assumed that he had succumbed to the Antonine Plague. Before his death, he had wanted his son to continue the battle under the tutelage and guidance of Pompeianus. But Commodus didn’t feel much for it and his entourage persuaded him to go back to Rome, pay off the German tribes, and establish what he thought the be peace. This would be the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire.

One of the big questions and points of criticism on Marcus Aurelius as an Emperor was why he chose his son, Commodus to become his successor. The Emperors before him would adopt someone to inherit the seat of power. But they didn’t have any sons of their own and Marcus did. It used to be tradition to name your son as the next in line, which Marcus Aurelius did and he had hoped his senior advisors would guide his son. But Commodus was of a different upbringing and didn’t follow the Stoic philosophy. After the five good Emperors, with Marcus Aurelius being one of the best, came the downfall led by the notorious and one of the worst Emperors, Commodus.

The Philosopher King

At an early age, Marcus Aurelius was groomed to become Emperor. Which meant he would learn from the best tutors the Empire had to offer. He studied rhetoric under Fronto, but as he got older he leaned more toward the lessons of his Stoic teachers. Among these are Apollonius of Chalcedon, Sextus of Chaeronea, and Junius Rusticus. The last one, Junius Rusticus, had the biggest influence on Marcus Aurelius’s life. Evidence of that is shown in chapter one of his Meditations, and other letters and texts. He also studied the teachings of Epictetus, whom he held in high regard. They would not have met as Epictetus died when Marcus Aurelius was in his early teens. But Junius Rusticus could have met him. A close friend of the Stoic teacher, Arrian of Nicomedia did for sure. Since he is the author of the Discourses and the Handbook of Epictetus.

Marcus Aurelius’s personal journal, The Meditations, gives us a deep insight into the mind of someone who is the most powerful person alive in his time. It is full of constant reminders of Stoic principles, how to act, and preparations for what might come. What he would have thought of us reading it now we will never know. But he would most likely have said that it wasn’t up to him what we do with it, since he is dead. That being said, many important and famous people used this book to help them get through difficult times. People like George Washington and Nelson Mandela carried it with them as their guide.

More on Marcus Aurelius

This is a short introduction and there is more to read on him. I gathered my information from the Meditations, the Gregory Hays translation, including its introduction. Other sources I’ve used are How to Think Like A Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson and The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot. These are great books to read and they will give you far more information on the remarkable life of Marcus Aurelius.

The legacy left behind by Marcus Aurelius is tremendous. He has set the ultimate benchmark for every politician after him, yet few have been able to live up to it. We can use his example to try to make improvements every day. That is what he asked of himself. Stoicism can help us there and Marcus Aurelius can be our mentor in moments when we need it.

Continue to read more about other Stoic philosophers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Michel de Montaigne. For some of Marcus Aurelius’s most famous quotes, go to this page: Marcus Aurelius Quotes. If you want to know more about what Via Stoica has to offer, you can find out more about our coaching programs here. Or sign up for the newsletter below to stay up to date on the latest news and events.

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A Lecture on Marcus Aurelius

The best way to get to know Marcus Aurelius is to read his Meditations. But to help you understand his situation a bit more, there is a video from Michael Surge, a professor at Princeton University. He gives a detailed explanation of how exemplary his behavior was. Moreover, as seen from his position of absolute power. I would encourage you to watch it.

• The links to the books mentioned in the text are affiliate links.