Marcus Aurelius: A Biography (Roman Imperial Biographies)

Marcus Aurelius (Roman Imperial Biographies) 1st Edition. by Anthony R Marcus Aurelius: A Biography (Roman Imperial Biographies) $ (4) In Stock.
Table of contents

Write a customer review.

Marcus Aurelius

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. The book is worth reading, but for quite an expensive kindle version one would expect that the notes are accessible. Anthony Birley's biography of Marcus Aurelius manages to give the reader a good view of the life of an Emperor by pulling together the very few resources available.

Marcus' early years and education are given in good detail including some letters between Marcus and his teachers. It is true that the chapters dealing with Marcus' personal life and family are not as 'exciting' as some might wish but they show a side to an Emperor rarely seen. However, the Marcommanic Wars are covered in excellent detail.

Anthony Birley reviews all the sources that are available and gives reasons for his conclusions. The Commanding Generals are named and fans of 'Gladiator' will be disappointed. This is real history and a look into one of Rome's most popular Emperors. If you are a fan of 'Gladiator' then read this book and see how much more exciting reality is.

This book by far is one of the best Imperial Biographies I have read. I enjoyed Birley's biography of Marcus Aureliusm, because I was interested in the man. Even so, it is written as an academic treatment limiting the story to the primary sources, with constant quotes from them. This is certainly an accurate manner to depict biographical information, but not as compelling as say Robin Fox's treatment of Alexander the Great which is equally well-research and annotated but is also a great "read.

I'm not a scholar of history, but have always been interested in the man that wrote the Meditations.

Access Check

I thought an in-depth analysis would be the trick for getting to know this Stoic Emperor better. In Birley's book, however, I experienced information overload.

Youth and apprenticeship

We learn a great deal about the Emperor's tutors and family. But the reader, at least this reader, is given so much detail, that it is difficult to organize the data in a meaningful way. I could not distinguish the significant from the merely interesting. If you already know quite a bit about Marcus Aurelius and want to learn more, by all means buy this book.

If, on the other hand, you want an inroduction to his life, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. See all 4 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. A Biography Roman Imperial Biographies. Set up a giveaway. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

There's a problem loading this menu right now. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. View or edit your browsing history. Get to Know Us.


  • Marcus Aurelius: A Biography by Anthony Richard Birley;
  • The Denizens of Night.
  • Marcus Aurelius: A Biography?

English Choose a language for shopping. Amazon Music Stream millions of songs. Amazon Drive Cloud storage from Amazon. Alexa Actionable Analytics for the Web. AmazonGlobal Ship Orders Internationally. Amazon Inspire Digital Educational Resources. Amazon Rapids Fun stories for kids on the go.


  1. Roman emperor?
  2. Who was Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius? - Biography & Death.
  3. Series by cover?
  4. Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror.
  5. The Philosopher Emperor;
  6. leondumoulin.nl: Marcus Aurelius (Roman Imperial Biographies) (): Anthony R Birley: Books.
  7. The Infinite Question.
  8. Amazon Restaurants Food delivery from local restaurants. ComiXology Thousands of Digital Comics. After hearing a rumor about Marcus Aurelius being deathly ill, Avidius Cassius claimed the title of emperor for himself. This forced Marcus Aurelius to travel to the East to regain control. But he did not have to fight Cassius as he was murdered by his own soldiers.

    JSTOR: Access Check

    Instead Marcus Aurelius toured eastern provinces with his wife, re-establishing his authority. Unforunately, Faustina died during this trip. While once again battling the German tribes, Marcus Aurelius made hisson Commodus his co-ruler in Together they fought the northernenemies of the empire. Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, His son Commodus became emperorand soon ended the northern military efforts.

    Marcus Aurelius, however,is not best remembered for the wars he waged, but for his contemplativenature and his rule driven by reason. A collection of his thoughts havebeen published in a work called The Meditations. Based on his Stoicbeliefs, the work is filled with his notes on life. Start your free trial today. We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. He shrewdly combined military Beginning in the eighth century B. Among the many legacies The son of a great military leader, he escaped family intrigues to take the throne, but his Cleopatra VII ruled ancient Egypt as co-regent first with her two younger brothers and then with her son for almost three decades.

    She became the last in a dynasty of Macedonian rulers founded by Ptolemy, who served as general under Alexander the Great during his conquest of Located just east of the Roman Forum, the massive stone amphitheater known as the Colosseum was commissioned around A. He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably By turns charismatic and ruthless, brilliant and power hungry, diplomatic and By the time the First Punic War broke out, Rome had become the dominant power throughout the Italian peninsula, while This website uses cookies for analytics, personalization, and advertising.

    Click here to learn more or change your cookie settings. By continuing to browse, you agree to our use of cookies. Early Life His serious and hard-working nature was even noticed by Emperor Hadrian. Entry into Politics In , Marcus Aurelius became consul, or leader of the senate — a post he would hold two more times in his lifetime. Becoming Emperor After his adoptive father died in , Marcus Aurelius rose to power and was officially then known as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. Challenges to His Authority In , he faced another challenge, this time for his very position.