Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 CE in Rome into a distinguished family with political connections. Adopted by Emperor Antoninus Pius at the direction of Hadrian, he received an extraordinary education in rhetoric, law, and philosophy, developing a particular devotion to Stoicism under the tutelage of teachers he names with gratitude in the opening book of the Meditations. He became emperor in 161 CE and ruled for nearly two decades, a period marked by plague, frontier wars against Germanic tribes, and internal rebellion. Despite these challenges, ancient sources consistently describe him as a just and conscientious ruler. This author hub collects 1 work in the Canon Compass ranking, led by Meditations.