Marcus Aurelius and the Slave Revolt of the Bucoli

Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History · May 17, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In 172 CE, while Marcus Aurelius campaigned on the Danube, a massive slave revolt erupted in the Nile Delta. The Boukoloi, or 'herdsmen,' led by the priest Isidorus, defeated a Roman legion, seized Alexandria, and nearly cut off Rome's grain supply. This episode of Fexingo History's Marcus Aurelius series explores a forgotten crisis that tested the philosopher-emperor's Stoic resolve. We examine the revolt's roots in Roman tax policy, the brutal guerrilla tactics of the rebels, and how Rome's response—including the dispatch of Avidius Cassius—shaped the…