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The Stoic Emperor's Epidemic Laws: Marcus Aurelius and Social Reform
When the Antonine Plague ravaged the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius did more than philosophize. He enacted sweeping legal reforms to stabilize a collapsing society. This episode explores the 'epidemic laws' — measures that changed inheritance, burial, and even the treatment of slaves during the plague years. We discuss the SC Orfitianum and SC Tertullianum, which reformed inheritance rights for mothers and children; the appointment of curatores to manage civic finances; and the emperor's personal intervention in plague-stricken cities like Ephesus. Drawing on the Digest of…
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