Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History / Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic's Forgotten Co-Regent Lucius Verus
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, we've talked a lot about Marcus Aurelius as the philosopher emperor — his Meditations, his Stoic discipline, his lonely vigil on the Danube. But for the first eight years of his reign, he wasn't alone on the throne. He had a co-emperor: Lucius Verus, his adoptive brother. Luna: Wait, I thought Marcus was the sole emperor after Antoninus Pius died? Lucas: That's the common impression, but actually, when Pius died in 161 CE, he had arranged for both Marcus and Lucius Verus to succeed him. Marcus was 40, Verus was 30. They were the first formal co-emperors in Roman history — a dyarchy. Marcus took the title Augustus, Verus took the same title. Legally, they were equals. Lucas: And this arrangement wasn't just ceremonial. Verus was sent east to command the Parthian War — one of the most significant conflicts of the 2nd century — while Marcus stayed in Rome to manage the empire's administration. It was a practical division of labour, and it mostly worked. Luna: I'd love to hear more about that war, but first — you're doing these episodes entirely independently, right? No ad revenue, no network backing? Lucas: Yeah, it's just me and you, and a bit of research time. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. It really does make a difference. Luna: Absolutely. And even a small contribution helps cover the hosting and the odd book purchase. Right — back to Lucius Verus and the Parthian War. What happened? Lucas: So, the Parthian War kicked off in 161 when the Parthian king Vologases IV invaded Armenia, a Roman client kingdom. The Roman governor of Cappadocia was defeated and killed. Marcus and Verus had to respond. Verus was dispatched with a massive army — seven legions, including detachments from the Danube frontier. Lucas: Verus himself wasn't a military man — he was known for his love of luxury, theatre, and chariot racing. But he had excellent generals: Avidius Cassius, Statius Priscus, and others. Cassius in particular was a brilliant commander. He led the main offensive into Mesopotamia. Luna: So Verus was more of a figurehead, then? Lucas: Partly. The ancient sources — especially the Historia Augusta and Cassius Dio — paint Verus as a pleasure-seeker who spent most of the campaign in Antioch, living it up, while his generals did the fighting. But that might be unfair. He was in his early 30s, with no military experience, and it was smart to delegate to seasoned commanders. Plus, his presence in Antioch kept the eastern provinces stable and showed the flag. Lucas: The campaign was a stunning success. By 165, the Romans had captured the Parthian capitals: Seleucia on the Tigris and Ctesiphon. They sacked both cities, and the palace of Ctesiphon was burned. This was the first time a Roman army had taken Ctesiphon since Trajan. Luna: But that sack of Seleucia — wasn't that connected to the Antonine Plague? Lucas: Exactly. According to Cassius Dio and others, Roman soldiers plundered a temple in Seleucia — possibly a Temple of Apollo — and from that vault, a deadly pestilence broke out. They say it spread through the army and then back to the Roman world, carried by the returning legions. That was the Antonine Plague, which we've covered in earlier episodes. Lucas: So Verus's war indirectly unleashed one of the worst pandemics of antiquity, which killed millions and destabilised the empire for decades. That's a heavy legacy. Luna: Did Verus get credit for the victory, or was it all given to Marcus? Lucas: Both received the title 'Parthicus Maximus' and celebrated a joint triumph in 166. But over time, Verus's role was minimised. The Historia Augusta, written a century later, is hostile to him — it portrays him as decadent, even depraved, while Marcus is the saintly philosopher. Modern historians think that's exaggerated. Verus was probably just a normal young aristocrat, and Marcus's Stoic austerity made him look worse in comparison. Lucas: There's also the Column of Lucius Verus in Rome — or rather, its base survives, with reliefs showing scenes from the Parthian campaign. It suggests he had his own monumental propaganda. But the column itself is lost, while Marcus's column on the Piazza Colonna still stands. Luna: So Verus was essentially written out of the story by later sources. Lucas: Pretty much. And after the Parthian War, the co-regency continued. Verus returned to Rome, and for the next few years, he and Marcus ruled together. But tensions simmered. Verus apparently had affairs, including with Marcus's own wife, Faustina the Younger — or so rumours say. The sources are murky. Lucas: Then in 168, the Marcomannic Wars erupted on the Danube. Both emperors went north together, but Verus wasn't keen on the campaign. He wanted to return to Rome. On the way back in 169, he died suddenly — possibly of a stroke, possibly of poison, or even the plague. He was 38. Luna: And that's when Marcus became sole emperor. Lucas: Yes. Marcus mourned him genuinely — he had Verus deified and his memory honoured. But from then on, Marcus carried the burden alone. The partnership had been real, and it had worked. Without Verus's eastern campaign, the Parthian threat might have lingered. Without his generals, the victories might not have happened. Luna: It's fascinating how history reduces complex figures to caricatures. Verus gets remembered as the party boy, Marcus as the sage. But the reality was more nuanced. Lucas: Absolutely. And the dyarchy they created set a precedent — later emperors like Septimius Severus and his sons would use the same model. So in a way, Verus was a pioneer. He just didn't get the credit. Lucas: Next time, we might look at the aftermath of the Parthian War — how the Antonine Plague reshaped the empire — but for now, I think we've given Lucius Verus his due. Luna: Definitely. Thanks for bringing him back into the light.