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Today, Marcus Aurelius is remembered not only
as a Roman Emperor, but also as a philosopher.
Born Marcus Annius Verus, he was adopted by
Emperor Antoninus Pius in 138 A.D. as a future
heir. Their relationship was reinforced when he
married Pius’ daughter Annia Galeria Faustina a
few years later. With the line of descent securely
arranged, there were few objections when
Aurelius assumed the throne after the death of
Antoninus in 161 A.D.
As Emperor, Marcus Aurelius instituted a series
of reforms meant to ease the suffering of the
poor. He lowered taxes while simultaneously
constructing new schools, orphanages, and
hospitals. He also attempted to humanize
criminal laws and improve the treatment of
slaves by their masters. On the military front,
Aurelius led a series of campaigns to secure the
frontiers of the empire. In 166, the legions
successfully repelled the invading Parthians from
Syria. The next year, he pushed back marauding
Germanic tribes from the northern Rhine/Danube
frontier.
As a philosopher, Aurelius authored the
Meditations late in his life, a collection of his
Stoic beliefs that is considered to be one of the
most important books in history. He believed
that man had been blessed by the gods with the
gift of reason, and through this reason, man
could align himself with the greater order of the
universe. He preached that mankind should live
life according to the principals of wisdom,
justice, strength, and moderation. By living such
a moral life, one could achieve a state of
tranquility.
This impressive cuirassed bust of the emperor,
composed of many different colors of marble,
depicts Marcus Aurelius as a military leader, not
as a philosopher. Clearly, Aurelius sought to
promote his role as a confident and capable
ruler. Aethestically, such a work can trace its
origins back to earlier imperial sculptures like
the famed Augustus Primaporta that portrayed
the emperor as a triumphant general. By
establishing this visual link to past rulers,
Aurelius would have reinforced the legitimacy of
his rule. The different colors of marble, from
pink and purple to blue and white, differentiate
between the alternate textures of flesh, cloth,
and armor. This masterpiece of Roman Imperial
portraiture is a monument to the reign of Marcus
Aurelius that continues to impress the viewer
much as his Meditations continues to inspire
modern thinkers.
Dimensions: Height including base 16.5" (41.9
cm)
- (X.0396)
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