Marcus Aurelius

<p>Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor who ruled the Roman Empire between AD 161 and 180, is one of the best recorded individuals from antiquity. Even his face became more than usually familiar: the imperial coinage displayed his portrait for over 40 years, from the clean-shaven young heir of Antonius to the war-weary, heavily bearded ruler who died at his post in his late fifties.<br>His correspondence with his tutor Fronto, and even more the private notebook he kept for his last ten years, the <em>Meditations</em>, provides a unique series of vivid and revealing glimpses into the character and peoccupations of this emporer who spent many years in terrible wars against northern tribes.<br>In this accessible and scholarly study, Professor Birley paints a portrait of an emporer who was human and just - an embodiment of the pagan virtues of Rome.</p> 1 The Age of the Antonines 2 Family and Early Years 3 Aurelius Caesar 4 The Education of an Heir Apparent 5 The Stoic Prince 6 The First Years as Emperor 7 Triumph and Crisis 8 The Northern Wars 9 The Last Years 10 Marcus to Himself 11 Epilogue