Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Salt Tax Revolt in the Marcomannic Wars
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known but revealing episode from Marcus Aurelius's reign: the salt tax revolt that erupted during the Marcomannic Wars. Around 169 CE, the emperor imposed a tax on salt (salinae) to fund his costly campaigns along the Danube frontier. The Edict of the Salt Tax sparked protests and even violence among Italian communities, forcing Marcus to reconsider his fiscal policies. Drawing on Cassius Dio and other sources, the conversation uncovers how this domestic crisis intersected with the broader Antonine Plague, the strain on the Roman treasury…
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