Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History / How the Antonine Plague Shaped Marcus Aurelius
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about the Marcomannic Wars and Marcus's philosophy, but there's this massive shadow over his entire reign that we haven't really focused on yet—the Antonine Plague. Luna: That's the pandemic that hit right after the Parthian War, right? Lucas: Exactly. It starts in 165 AD, when Roman troops under Lucius Verus are returning from sacking Ctesiphon in Mesopotamia. They bring something back with them—likely smallpox, though we're not certain. Within a year, it's tearing through the empire. Lucas: At its peak, it's killing thousands a day in Rome alone. Some estimates say the total death toll reaches five to ten million—maybe a third of the population in some regions. Luna: That's catastrophic. How did Marcus even manage to keep the empire running? Lucas: With difficulty. The plague hits the army especially hard. Legions that were already stretched thin for the Germanic wars suddenly lose huge numbers. Marcus has to recruit from everywhere—slaves, gladiators, even criminals. He lowers property qualifications for soldiers. Luna: Wait, gladiators too? That reminds me of your episode on his gladiator decree. Lucas: Exactly—he actually did decree that gladiators could be enlisted, and some were even freed. But the manpower crisis is so severe that he also drafts urban cohorts and provincial auxiliaries. It's a scramble. Lucas: And it's not just the military. The economy takes a hit—tax revenues drop, trade slows. Entire villages are abandoned. The plague doesn't respect borders. Luna: Did Marcus himself get sick? Lucas: He likely avoided the worst of it, but he lost people close to him. In 169, his co-emperor Lucius Verus dies of the plague—or possibly a stroke, but the sources point to the plague. Marcus also loses his daughter Annia Lucilla's husband? Actually, no—that was later. But he does lose friends and advisors. Lucas: We have a firsthand account from the physician Galen, who treated patients in Rome. He describes the symptoms—fever, sore throat, black pustules, diarrhea. He recommends rest and hydration, but admits many died. Luna: So Galen was there. That's incredible. Lucas: Yeah, and Marcus actually consults Galen during the plague. He also writes about death a lot in the Meditations—he's trying to internalize the Stoic acceptance of mortality. In one passage, he says, 'The pestilence is one of the things that happens in nature; it is not something to be afraid of.' But you can feel the weight. Lucas: The plague also affects his military campaigns. In 167, the Marcomanni and Quadi cross the Danube and besiege Aquileia—that's the first major invasion of Italy in centuries. Marcus rushes north, but the plague slows his response. It's a perfect storm. Luna: And this is when the Rain Miracle supposedly happened, right? In 172? Lucas: Correct. The Column of Marcus shows the miracle—a sudden storm saves a Roman legion, and some sources say the Christians prayed for it. But it's also a time when the plague is still raging. So amid death, there's this moment of hope. Lucas: Long-term, the Antonine Plague weakens Rome economically and demographically. It's one of the factors that leads to the Crisis of the Third Century. The empire never fully recovers its population or strength. Luna: It's amazing Marcus kept his composure through all that. Lucas: And that's partly why we still read him. He's dealing with war, plague, personal loss—and still writing about virtue and resilience. It's a testament to Stoic practice. Lucas: You know, a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making deep dives like this one possible. Keeps the show ad-free and independent. Luna: Yeah, it's a small group that really cares. And it lets us explore these stories properly. Lucas: Exactly. So back to the plague—Marcus eventually sees the wars wind down, but the plague continues into his final years. He dies in 180 at Vindobona or Sirmium, probably from natural causes, though some speculate the plague weakened him. Luna: And his son Commodus immediately signs a peace treaty with the tribes, ending the wars. Lucas: Right, which many historians criticize as a premature settlement. But given the empire's losses, maybe he had no choice. Lucas: In the end, Marcus's reign is defined by two things: his unwavering commitment to Stoic philosophy and the unprecedented challenges of a pandemic that reshaped the ancient world. His Meditations remain, offering solace to anyone facing their own plagues.