Portrait of Marcus Aurelius

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This is a remarkably well-preserved ancient marble bust of Marcus Aurelius, widely known as the Philosopher, who ruled Rome from 161 to 180. He was adopted by Antoninus Pius and married his daughter Faustina, whom he succeeded alongside his adoptive brother Lucius Verus after Antoninus' death in 169, and then with his son Commodus from 177. Marcus Aurelius was the last of a series of rulers known as the Five Good Emperors. He was deeply committed to Stoicism, a school of thought that emphasized reason and self-control, and his personal writings, later called Meditations, have had a profound impact on modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy. These writings are considered one of the greatest works of philosophy ever written. During his reign, Marcus Aurelius' armies successfully defeated the revitalized Parthian Empire in the East, capturing its capital Ctesiphon in 164 under the leadership of General Avidius Cassius. In central Europe, he fought and won several battles against the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians during the Marcomannic Wars, but faced growing threats from Germanic tribes that began to destabilize the Empire. Unfortunately, persecution of Christians increased under his rule. Marcus Aurelius' death in 180 marked the end of the Pax Romana era, which was followed by rising instability in the West and ultimately contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.