ANTONINUS PIUS (Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionus Ar rius Antoninus) (A.D. 86-161), Roman emperor 138-161, the son of Aurelius Fulvus, a Roman consul whose family had originally belonged to Nemausus (Nimes). He was brought up by his grandfather, Arrius Antoninus, a friend of the younger Pliny. He was consul in 120, was next chosen as one of the four consulars for Italy, and won distinction as proconsul of Asia. On Feb. 25 138, he was adopted by the Emperor Hadrian as his successor, on condition that he himself adopt Marcus Annius Verus, nephew of his wife Faustina, and Lucius, son of Aelius Verus (afterwards the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Aelius Verus). A few months afterwards, on Hadrian's death, he became emperor. An toninus was experienced and intelligent, and sincerely desired the welfare of his subjects. One of his first acts was to beg the sen ate in person to decree divine honours to Hadrian (this gained him his name of Pius), and this foreshadowed his policy, for throughout his reign he sought to increase the dignity of the sen ate, consulting it in person on matters of State, and giving back Italy to its management. He discouraged informers (delatores), and when conspiracies occurred showed great clemency. With the help of his council of skilled jurists, he made legal reforms tending to greater simplicity and humanity. In Italy he promoted art and science, built baths and aqueducts, and expanded the system of provision for orphans. Under his personal care the provinces prospered; their burdens (e.g. the imperial post) were lightened, and liberal relief was granted to distressed cities. The peace of his reign was broken only by insurrections of the Moors (152), Egyptians (153), Jews and Brigantes, and these were easily put down. The one military result of interest to us now is the building in Britain of the wall of Antoninus from the Forth to the Clyde. Antoninus died of fever at Lorium in Etruria, probably March 7 161. His one surviving child married the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
The only account of his life handed down to us is that of Julius Capitolinus, one of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae. See Bossart Muller, Zur Geschichte des Kaisers A. (i868) ; Lacour-Gayett, A. le Pieux et son Temps (i888) ; Bryant, The Reign of Antonine (Camb. Hist. Essays, 1895) ; P. B. Watson, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (1884), chap. ii.; for a general account of social conditions, Rostovtzev, Eco nomic History of the Roman Empire under the Flavians and Anto nines (1926).