Marcus Aurelius and the Cult of Serapis

Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History · Oct 10, 2026 · 8m · transcript

While Marcus Aurelius is remembered as a Stoic philosopher-king, his reign was deeply intertwined with the syncretic religious landscape of the Roman Empire. This episode explores his complex relationship with the cult of Serapis, the Egyptian god worshipped in temples from Alexandria to Rome. We examine how imperial propaganda used divine imagery to stabilize a fractured empire during the Marcomannic Wars, and how the Emperor navigated the tension between traditional Roman piety and the rising popularity of Eastern mystery religions. Through the lens of the Thunder Miracle at Carnuntum and…