MARCUS AURELIUS

EARLY LIFE

• His family originated in Ucubi
• He was born on April 26, 121 in that region
• His father died when Marcus was three years old
• He was then raised by his dad's grandfather

RISE TO POWER

• He married the emperor's daughter
• He was chosen by Emperor Hadrian to be his successor, along with his half-brother Verus

EVENTS DURING HIS REIGN

• The joint reign of him and his brother was plagued with war and disease
• They fought in the Parthian War
• The soldiers who fought in the war brought back many unknown diseases

EVENTS DURING HIS REIGN (CONT)

• A rumor was spread that Aurelius was deathly ill, so Avidus Cassius tried to claim the throne for himself
• He was murdered before he could accomplish this task

EVENTS DURING HIS REIGN (CONT)

• He wrote the Meditations in 167

DEATH

• At the age of 58, he caught smallpox
• Rather than live with the disease, he starved himself to death
• He eventually died on March 17, 180

COIN DURING HIS REIGN