Roman bust of Lucius Verus

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Lucius Verus, also known as Lucius Aurelius Verus, was born Lucius Ceionius Commodus on December 15, 130, and would later be called Lucius Ceionius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. He became Roman emperor jointly with Marcus Aurelius from 161 to 169, despite sharing equal constitutional status and powers. However, he lacked the authority to shoulder his share of the responsibilities. Lucius was the son of a senator, Lucius Ceionius Commodus, who had been adopted by Emperor Hadrian as his successor under the name Lucius Aelius Caesar. When Ceionius died on January 1, 138, Hadrian designated Antoninus Pius as his successor and ordered him to adopt Lucius and Marcus Annius Verus (the future emperor Marcus Aurelius) as heirs. Lucius was given equal status and powers as Marcus, except for the title of pontifex maximus. Lucius dropped the name Commodus and took on Marcus's original cognomen, Verus. In 164, he married Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla, with whom he had several children. When sent to deal with Parthian conquests in Armenia and Mesopotamia from 162 to 166, Lucius dallied in Antioch while subordinate generals concluded the war. He celebrated a triumph jointly with Marcus in October 166 and assumed the names Armeniacus, Parthicus, and Medicus. In 167 or 168, Verus campaigned with Marcus Aurelius against a German people, the Marcomanni, near Pannonia. However, he died of a stroke on his way back from the campaign.