Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher who also happened to be the last of the Five Good Emperors.
He was born in Rome in 121 CE, and after his father died when he was just 3 years old, Marcus Aurelius’ grandfather adopted him. His grandfather then died when Marcus was 11, so he came under the care of his mother and grandmother.
As an adult, Marcus Aurelius became emperor at age 40 after his father died from an illness. He ruled for nearly 20 years, until his death in 180 CE at age 57. During this time he helped lead the Roman Empire through some tough times after several attacks by barbarian tribes from across Europe and Asia Minor. The Roman Empire had already been declining since it was founded by Julius Caesar over 500 years earlier, but Marcus Aurelius’ reign helped keep it alive longer than expected.
During his reign as emperor, Marcus Aurelius was known for being a good ruler who cared about his people and tried to do what was right for them. He wrote many books on philosophy including The Meditations which is still read today by many people around the world. He also wrote about how important it is to treat others with respect.
