Marcus Aurelius and the Enigmatic General Avidius Cassius

Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History · Oct 5, 2026 · 9m · transcript

In this episode of the Fexingo History podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic and tragic story of Avidius Cassius, the Roman general who briefly declared himself emperor in 175 AD. While Marcus Aurelius was fighting the Marcomannic Wars on the Danube frontier, his most trusted commander seized power in Egypt and Syria, leading a revolt that lasted only three months before collapsing under its own weight. We examine the political tensions that fueled this usurpation, including Marcus’s controversial decision to name his son Commodus as co-emperor, and the role of imperial propaganda in…