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PEOPLE AND PERSONALITIES OF ROME

Lucius Verus

Key information:

Official Name: IMPERATOR CAESAR LUCIUS AURELIUS VERUS AUGUSTUS

Birthdate: December 15, 130 CE.

(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 1)

Birthplace: Rome, Italy.

(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 1)

Reign: Lucius Verus was declared emperor by the Roman senate on the urging of Marcus Aurelius, his adoptive brother, on March 8, 161 CE. Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius ruled Rome as co-emperors for a period of eight years. 

(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 3)

Marriages: Lucius Verus married Lucilla, the daughter of his co-emperor Marcus Aurelius, in 164 CE.

Lucilla (164-169 CE)

(Historia Augusta, Life of Marcus Aurelius, 7.7) (Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 2 & 7)

Children:

Aurelia Lucilla (daughter by Lucilla)

Lucilla Plautia (daughter by Lucilla)

Lucius Verus (son by Lucilla)

Death: Lucius Verus died of natural causes in Altinum, Italy. He died in 169 CE. 

(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 9)

Bust of Lucius Verus, Musei Capitolini, Rome, May 2019
Head of Lucius Verus, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome, December 2018.
Bust of Lucius Verus, British Museum, London, December 2021.

Famous facts and dates

161
Lucius Verus loved to drink, party, and gamble. This contrasted sharply with the reserved, stoic attitude of his co-emperor Marcus Aurelius.
(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 4)
162
Lucius Verus oversaw a successful military campaign against the Parthians between 162 and 166 CE. However, while in the east, his legions contracted smallpox and brought it back to Rome. This triggered the Antonine Plague, which killed millions of Romans and severely weakened the empire.
(Historia Augusta, Life of Lucius Verus, 6) (Eutropius, Summary of Roman History, 8.12)
169
After his death in 169 CE, Lucius Verus was declared a god by the Roman senate.
(Historia Augusta, Life of Marcus, 2.1)

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Cite this page as: Darius Arya, The American Institute for Roman Culture, “Lucius Verus” Ancient Rome Live. Last modified 10/03/2022. https://ancientromelive.org/LuciusVerus/

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