Shows / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius is remembered as Rome's philosopher-king, but his reign (161–180 CE) was anything but serene. Lucas and Luna explore the life of the last of the 'Five Good Emperors,' a Stoic scholar forced to wage endless war on the Danube frontier. From the Parthian campaign that brought back plague to the Marcomannic Wars that strained the empire's resources, this show examines how Aurelius balanced governance, military crisis, and personal philosophy. They delve into his 'Meditations' — a…
Episodes
Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo HistoryMarcus Aurelius and His Correspondence with Fronto
In this episode of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore the intimate correspondence between Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus and the Rain Miracle: Lightning from a Clear Sky
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the mysterious Rain Miracle of 172 AD, when a desperate Roman legion — surrounded by Quadi warriors on the scorching…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Cynic Philosopher Demonax
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's relationship with the Cynic philosopher Demonax. While the emperor was a committed Stoic, he…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the German Captives' Fate
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the fate of the German captives taken during Marcus Aurelius' Marcomannic Wars. Drawing on Cassius Dio and the…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Response to Disaster
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's Stoic response to the calamities that struck Rome in the late 160s AD. Facing…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Dying Years on the Danube
In episode 30 of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore the desperate final years of Marcus Aurelius's reign, focusing on…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Column That Tells a Story
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Column of Marcus Aurelius, the towering monument in Rome that commemorates his Marcomannic Wars. They discuss how…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Cynics: The Philosopher Emperor's Philosophical Rivals
In this episode of Fexingo History, hosts Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's complex relationship with the Cynic philosophers—a rival school that…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Triumphal Arch of Lucius Verus
What happened to the triumphal arch built for Lucius Verus after his Parthian victory? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the lost Arch of Lucius Verus in…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
The Stoic Emperor's Lost Greek Tutor: Alexander of Cotiaeum
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the profound influence of Marcus Aurelius's Greek tutor, Alexander of Cotiaeum. While much attention is given to…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Antonine Plague
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the devastating Antonine Plague that swept through the Roman Empire during Marcus Aurelius' reign from 165 to 180…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Ideal of Cosmopolitanism
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's concept of cosmopolitanism — the Stoic ideal of being a 'citizen of the world.' They…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius Hadrian's Wall Frontier Policy
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's frontier policy on the British frontier, focusing on Hadrian's Wall and…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic View of Death
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius' Stoic philosophy on death, as revealed in his 'Meditations'. They discuss how the…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Governance of the Empire
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Marcus Aurelius applied Stoic philosophy to the practical art of governing the Roman Empire. Drawing on specific…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Art of Dream Interpretation
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's engagement with dream interpretation as a Stoic practice. They discuss the cultural context of…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Art of Dream Interpretation
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known aspect of Marcus Aurelius' Stoic practice: his engagement with dream interpretation, or…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Court: Fronto's Letters
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the intimate correspondence between Marcus Aurelius and his rhetoric tutor, Marcus Cornelius Fronto. These letters…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Body: Health, Vigor, and the Meditations
In this episode of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising dimension of the Stoic emperor's life: his…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Fate of the Marcomannic Captives
In this episode of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known but revealing chapter of the Marcomannic Wars: the fate…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Legal Reforms of an Emperor-Stoic
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's profound impact on Roman law. They discuss how the philosopher-king applied Stoic principles to…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Education of Commodus
In this episode of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore the upbringing of Commodus, the emperor's only surviving son and…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Thundering Legion Miracle
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the mysterious event known as the 'Miracle of the Rain' or the 'Thundering Legion' during the…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
The Philosopher Emperor’s Inner Circle: Fronto, Faustina, and the Court of Marcus Aurelius
Episode 12 of our Marcus Aurelius series zooms in on the people around the philosopher emperor: his wife Faustina the Younger, his tutor and confidant…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Parthian War 161-166 AD
Long overshadowed by the Marcomannic Wars on the Danube, Rome's bitter conflict with Parthia in 161–166 AD was Marcus Aurelius's first major test as…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Marcomannic Settlement
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's vision for the Danube frontier after the Marcomannic Wars. They delve into the emperor's…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius' Personal Wealth and the Imperial Economy
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a side of Marcus Aurelius rarely discussed: his personal finances and the broader Imperial economy during his reign…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Imperial Cult: Emperor as Divinity
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's relationship with the imperial cult — the practice of worshipping Roman emperors as gods. While…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Rise of Christianity
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's complex relationship with early Christianity. While remembered as a philosopher-king, Marcus…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Mysteries of Mithras
In this episode of Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King, Lucas and Luna explore the emperor's surprising connection to the secretive cult of…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Senate: A Delicate Dance
Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's relationship with the Roman Senate, a critical but often overlooked aspect of his reign. Despite his reputation…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
The Antonine Plague: Marcus Aurelius and Rome's First Pandemic
In 165 CE, as Roman legions returned from sacking Seleucia, they brought home more than plunder. A devastating disease—likely smallpox—swept through the…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Antonine Constitution: Citizenship for All
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Marcus Aurelius's role in one of the most transformative legal acts of the Roman Empire: the Antonine…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
The Marcomannic Wars: Marcus Aurelius on the Danube
This episode dives deep into the Marcomannic Wars, the brutal frontier conflict that dominated the later years of Marcus Aurelius's reign. Lucas and Luna…
- Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — A New Kind of Emperor
Step into the winter of 180 CE, where a dying emperor on the Danube frontier reflects on a life of duty, philosophy, and war. This episode introduces Marcus…