Marcus Aurelius died on 17 March 180 CE in Vindobona, aged 58. A Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius was the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. Adopted by Antoninus Pius, he became emperor in 161 and initially shared power with Lucius Verus. His reign was dominated by war on the Danube frontier against Germanic tribes and by the Antonine Plague, which devastated the empire. During the campaigns he wrote the Meditations in Greek, a private notebook of reflections on duty, self-discipline and the acceptance of fate that remains one of the most widely read works of ancient philosophy. His son Commodus succeeded him, which marked the beginning of a period of decline.
Before and after
- 161 CEOrigins of Odeon of Herodes Atticus
- from 165 CE to 180 CEAntonine Plague
- from 166 CE to 180 CEMarcomannic Wars
- 170 CEDeath of Ptolemy
- 17 March 180 CEDeath of Marcus Aurelius
- from 184 CE to 205 CEYellow Turban Rebellion
- 185 CEChinese astronomers record the supernova of 185
- 193 CEYear of the Five Emperors
- 2nd centuryConstruction of Aqueduct of Segovia
More in Wars, politics & history
- from 264 BCE to 241 BCEFirst Punic War
- from 149 BCE to 146 BCEThird Punic War
- from 58 BCE to 51 BCEGallic War
- 49 BCECaesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalus
- from 66 CE to 74 CEFirst Jewish-Roman War
- from June 68 CE to December 69 CEYear of the Four Emperors
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 2nd century.