Maráz Borbála: Marcus Aurelius bronz császárportré a római kori Lugioból. (Pécs, 1997.)

MARCUS AURELIUS Antoninus, in his original name M. Annius Catilius Severus and Marcus Annius Verus was born in Rome in 121 AD as a member of a distinguished family of Hispánián origin. His father was brother of the Emperor's (Antoninus Pius) wife thus he belonged to the close relatives of the imperial family. He was brought up in the court of Hadrian from his early childhood and was given an excellent education which consisted of the fundamental elements of the contemporary knowledge in Greek and Latin (literature, rhetorics and philosophy) and also covered law, natural sciences, musics and painting. As a youth he became a believer of the Stoic philosophy and later emerged as one of its excellent scholars. Hadrian was followed by Antoninus Pius in 138 who soon adopted Marcus Aurelius establishing him in line of succession. Although he did not refuse the task of managing the state affairs, he went on studying philosophy in his spare time. He was raised to be an emperor from his youth; and even though he was given to philosophy, to meditation, to contemplation by nature and inclination of his own, he accepted what fate had for him: in 161 AD when Antoninus Pius died he took over the rule on the call of the Senate. He shared power voluntarily with his adopted brother, Lucius Verus (161-169) and from 177 AD with his son and designated successor, Commodus. One of his aims was to maintain the Stoic morals in ruling the Empire. „See thou be not Caesarified, nor take that dye, for there is the possibility. So keep thyself a simple and good man, uncorrupt, dignified, plain, a friend of justice, god-fearing, gracious, affectionate, manful in doing thy duty. Strive to be always such as Philosophy minded to make thee." - writes in his „Communings with himself. In reality, however, during his two-decade reign he had to deal with wars in order to defend the Roman Empire. He defeated the revolt in Britannia and after the Parthian wars and wars with the barbarian Quads and Markomanns he fought in a series of campaigns