Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
The Parthian War of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus
When Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161 AD, he faced an immediate crisis: the Parthian king Vologases IV invaded Armenia. The young co-emperor Lucius Verus was dispatched east, leading a campaign that would sack Ctesiphon and Seleucia, but bring back the Antonine Plague that devastated the Roman world. This episode explores the war's causes, the generals who made their names — like Avidius Cassius — and how the conflict set the stage for Marcus's later struggles on the Danube. We also discuss the logistics, the propaganda, and the philosophical emperor's struggle to hold his…
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