The True Story of Marcus Aurelius.
Beautiful Letters| N° d'inventaire | 12820 |
| Format | 11 x 18 |
| Détails | 178 p., paperback. |
| Publication | Paris, 2009 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782251040042 |
History remembers Marcus Aurelius (121-180) above all as a philosopher emperor, opposing goodness, reason, and temperance to the troubles of a tottering empire. Adopted son of Antoninus Pius, with a solid education, he took power late, not without apprehension. A supporter of the people and the Senate, he faced the beginnings of the barbarian invasions with patience and endurance, despite his precarious health. He endured the great plague of 167, the ordeal of power-sharing, the betrayal of his general Cassius, and Christian fanaticism, still alive and new. Solitary, writing his Thoughts on campaign evenings, Marcus Aurelius never renounced philosophy as a remedy, as a universal bond that knew no boundaries, pursuing an ideal of unifying peoples in a common City, governed by reason. Mocked by his detractors for his lack of toughness and vigor, praised by those around him for his exceptional human qualities, he left the Roman Empire a tyrannical and violent son, Commodus, who was quick to trample on his father's principles. The August History, Cassius Dio, Fronto, Eusebius of Caesarea, and Aurelius Victor, ancient witnesses and historians, reveal to us who Marcus Aurelius truly was, between power and reflection.
History remembers Marcus Aurelius (121-180) above all as a philosopher emperor, opposing goodness, reason, and temperance to the troubles of a tottering empire. Adopted son of Antoninus Pius, with a solid education, he took power late, not without apprehension. A supporter of the people and the Senate, he faced the beginnings of the barbarian invasions with patience and endurance, despite his precarious health. He endured the great plague of 167, the ordeal of power-sharing, the betrayal of his general Cassius, and Christian fanaticism, still alive and new. Solitary, writing his Thoughts on campaign evenings, Marcus Aurelius never renounced philosophy as a remedy, as a universal bond that knew no boundaries, pursuing an ideal of unifying peoples in a common City, governed by reason. Mocked by his detractors for his lack of toughness and vigor, praised by those around him for his exceptional human qualities, he left the Roman Empire a tyrannical and violent son, Commodus, who was quick to trample on his father's principles. The August History, Cassius Dio, Fronto, Eusebius of Caesarea, and Aurelius Victor, ancient witnesses and historians, reveal to us who Marcus Aurelius truly was, between power and reflection.