AURELIUS ANTONINUS, MARCUS, often called simply Marcus AURELIUS, Roman Emperor and philosopher, son in-law, adopted son, and successor of An toninus Pius, born A. D. 121, succeeded to the throne 161; died 180. His name originally was Marcus Annius Verus. He voluntarily shared the government with Lucius Verus, whom Antoninus Pius had also adopted. A war with Parthia broke out in the year of his accession, and did not terminate till 166. A confederacy of the northern tribes now threatened Italy, while a frightful pestilence, brought from the East with the army, raged in Rome itself. Both emperors set out in person against the rebellious tribes. In 169 Verus died, and the sole command of the war devolved on Marcus Aurelius, who prosecuted it with the utmost rigor, and nearly exterminated the Marcomanni. His victory over the Quadi (174) is connect ed with a famous legend. Dion Cassius tells us that the 12th legion of the Roman army was shut up in a defile, and reduced to great straits for want of water, when v of Christians enrolled in the le gion prayed for relief. Not only was
the rain sent, which enabled the Romans to quench their thirst, but a fierce storm of hail beat upon the enemy, which so terrified them that a complete victory was obtained, and the legion was ever after called "The Thundering Legion." After this victory, the Marcomanni, the Quadi, as well as the rest of the bar barians, sued for peace. Aurelius re turned to Rome, after visiting Egypt and Greece, but soon new incursions of the Marcomanni compelled him once more to take the field. He defeated the enemy several times, but was taken sick at Sirmium, and died at Vindobona (Vienna) in 180. His only extant work is the "Meditations," written in Greek, and which has been translated into most modern languages.