ANTONINUS PHILOSOPHUS (MARCUS AURELIUS) one of the Roman emperors, was born at Rome, A. D. 121. His father was Annius Verus, who held the of fice of praetor at his death, and his mother was Domitia Calvella, the daughter of Calvisius Tullus, who had been twice consul. His father's family was supposed to have descended from Numa Pompilius ; and his mo ther's from the celebrated Camillus, who delivered Rome from the Gauls. His first. name was Catilius Sc verus, which was the name of his mother's grandfather. He afterwards assumed the name of his own grandfa ther Annius Verus, by whom he was educated ; and on account of his strict regard to truth, he was called by the emperor Adrian, Annius Verissimus. When he was adopted by Antoninus, he took the names of M. tElius Aurelius Verus; and after his accession to the throne, he laid aside the name of Verus, and adopted that of Antoninus. The designation Philosophus was not given him during his life, but has been unanimous ly conferred upon him by future historians, on account of his attachment to philosophy. In his early years he was very remarkably favoured by Adrian, to whose fa mily he is said to have been related. That prince ad vanced him to the rank of knighthood, when he was only six years of age ; admitted him into the college of the Salii at the age of eight, adopted him into the im perial family, took him into the palace, and had him carefully instructed under his own direction. He stu died philosophy under Apollonius of Chalcedon, and Junius Rusticus ; the Greek language under Sextus of Chxronea, the grandson of Plutarch ; eloquence under Herodes Atticus and Cornelius Fronto ; and law under Volusius Metianus. It is said, by Capitolinus, that he was fond of athletic exercises, and that he also applied himself to painting ; but he delighted chiefly in the stu dy of the stoical philosophy, in which he made so great a proficiency, that, at twelve years of age, he enrolled himself among the philosophers, assumed their dress, and practised all their austerities. He was remarkable for the respect and gratitude which he testified to his teachers. He preserved their images in gold, adorned their tombs with flowers, and offered up victims to their manes. To Junius Rusticus, in particular, he gave the most distinguishing proofs of regard ; saluted him re spectfully in public, raised him twice to the consulship, and prevailed with the senate to erect a statue to his memory. In his seventeenth year, he was adopted by Antoninus Pius ; and after his adoption, was appointed to the quxstorship, though lie had not attained the age required by law. He received in marriage Faustina, the daughter of Antoninus, and was raised by that em peror to the principal dignities in the state, shared in all his councils, and almost constantly resided with him under the same roof. He succeeded him in the em
pire, in the year 161, and he was then about 40 years of age. Lucius Commodus had been adopted by An toninus, at the same time with Aurelius ; and had been intended to share with him in the government. But, on account of his licentious conduct, Antoninus had never invested him with any authority, nor indicated any wish for his future accession to the throne. He de clared Aurelius alone to be his successor, and the se nate confirmed his appointment. Aurelius, however, very generously admitted Lucius as his colleague ; and Rome, for the first time, was governed by two empe rors at once. These two sovereigns, notwithstanding the difference in their characters, reigned together in great harmony. Lucius submitted to the superior wis dom of Aurelius, and left to him the management of all affairs of state. Aurelius, on the other hand, threw a veil over the errors of his associate, and endeavoured, by every method, to support his dignity and influence.
About the commencement of their reign, the city of Rome, and many parts of the empire, were greatly dis tressed by inundations, earthquakes, and famine. The emperors united their endeavours, and expended much of their own private fortunes, in relieving the general scarcity, and indemnifying the losses of individuals. About the same time the Britons revolted, the Catti made an irruption into Germany, and the Parthians, under their king Vologeses, committed dreadful rava ges in Syria. Against the latter Verus marched in per son, but, both upon his route to the east, and in the city of Antioch, where he fixed his head-quarters, he in dulged himself in diversions and debaucheries, and left his generals to carry on the war. By their exertions, Armenia was reduced, and both emperors received the titles of .lrineniacus and linfterator. Aurelius, in the mean time, sent his daughter Lucilla into Syria, that she might be married to Vcrus, to whom she had been formerly betrothed. Soon after this event, the Parthian war was brought to a favourable termination ; and, though Verus had taken no active share in the contest, he was honoured with the title of Conqueror of the Par thians and filedes, and triumphed, in conjunction with Aurelius, on his return to Rome. Their attention was immediately turned to the Marcomanni, and a number of other nations in Germany and Blyricum, who had commenced hostilities against the Romans, before the conclusion of the war with the Parthians. These tribes were considered as the most formidable enemies of the Roman power, and the two emperors went in company to oppose them.