Greatness of soul
26 April 121 17 March 180 Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (also known as Marcus Annius Verus) was born on 26 April 121 a.d. in Rome. His family, originally from Baetica, is important: the father is a console. The mark lad receives an education from master Pediment, which imparts lessons of rhetoric. It is also interested in stoic philosophy. In 138 a.d. was adopted by emperor Antoninus Pius, for which it takes the name of Marcus Aurelius Valerius. The next year the Emperor proclaimed him heir to the imperial throne and Marco Aurelio named Caesar, son of the pious Augustus. In 140 a.d. He was consoling for five years. In the same year he marries Faustina, the Emperor's daughter, by whom he had two sons. In the following two years, gets two more titles needed to become future Roman Emperor, the tribunicia potestas and imperium proconsular. With the end of the reign of Antoninus Pius in 161 a.d., becomes Emperor along with the adopted brother Lucius Verus; for the first time in the history of Imperial Rome has two Caesars, but mark has greater relevance in the conduct of the Empire. Under his Principality carries out a policy which is respectful of the Roman Senate and non-absolutist. Ensures the Senate to express its opinion about the he policy, deciding on numerous State Affairs, such as the right to express its opinion in the case of declarations of war by the other Nations. Allows men to all the Roman provinces to access all the important administrative positions in the Roman Empire and even tries to create new commercial routes, trying to come to terms with China. Among the measures taken by the Emperor in domestic policy: the creation of the registry with which families were supposed to register their children within 30 days of birth, the Division of Italy in four districts at the head of which there are the juridici, the institution of the figure of the magistrate who has to keep under control the protections, Imperial financial control to ensure that the financial means for the realization of important public works such as the rehabilitation of the road network of the Empire. The greatness of soul of Marcus Aurelius is known in ancient Rome, because he decides to adopt numerous measures to try to improve the living conditions of the slaves, to allow it to be recognized the natural right as regards inheritance; among the initiatives is to ensure food funds for children. Another important decision taken by him is designed to eliminate the practice of torture is to men of Rome's most important both to the Freemen of the Empire. Guarantees more rights in favor of the slaves, such as the right of asylum for those slaves who leave a particular place to escape to for a certain period to another. In foreign policy the emperor will be busy for the rest of his life to defend Imperial borders. The parties continue to attack the borders of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, to which Marcus Aurelius send Lucius Verus in eastern provinces who want to control and defend. In 166 a.d. Right behind the wheel of the imperial troops, defeated the Parthians, showing his great loyalty to the Emperor until the last moment of his life. Thanks to Lucius Verus the situation in the eastern borders of the Empire returns to normal, thus ensuring to Marcus Aurelius to reap many benefits from peace with the Parthians. If in the eastern provinces are unable to have the situation under control, difficult it becomes for him the management of the situation on the border with the Danubian area, where numerous populations (including the Quadi, Marcomanni, the Vandals, the Buri, Iagizi) carry out numerous actions and raids vandalism against the Roman Empire. They aim to find new areas in which to live and, being attracted by the riches of the nearby Roman Empire, trying in every way to undermine investigations with attacks on the border. Also the situation in this area is difficult to manage for the Emperor, since many legions of the Roman Empire at that time have gone towards the eastern provinces to fight against the Parthians, because a serious scourge, plague, begins to dispense with the Roman population exponentially, which is halved. These two factors create so the weakness of the Danubian limes. With the help of his brother a few years earlier, managed to keep the situation under control, because the contrast with some Germanic peoples of the North, it reaches the peace. After the death of True, Northern populations begin to show up so pressing in the area of Aquileia, in the North of the Empire and the Emperor is difficult to manage this big problem. To put an end to this grave situation, decides to take matters into her own hands and, being at the head of the Roman legions, participates in a series of battles (Imperial territories of Rhaetia, Noricum, Cisalpine Gaul). Up to 175 a.d. is forced to settle for a long time in front of Pannonian since involved in various campaigns against the Germanic tribes. In that year the situation is normalized, but fortunately the respite granted by the Germanic peoples does not last long; Marcus Aurelius is back on the battlefield and in 179 will guide the Roman army in what will be his last military campaign. Marcus Aurelius Valerius died in Vindobona on 17 March of 180 because of plague. After his Principality the Roman Empire begins its inevitable decline due to mismanagement of imperial power by Commodus, his son. Article contributed by the team of collaborators.