Ancient Rome - 161-169 AD Lucius Verus AV Aureus NGC Choice MS in Fine Style

Lucius Verus (Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus, 15 December 130--169) was Roman Emperor from 161 to 169. He ruled alongside his adopted brother, Marcus Aurelius, as co-emperor. Lucius Verus was the first-born son of Lucius Aelius Caesar, who was the first adopted son and heir of Emperor Hadrian (76-138). When his Lucius Aelius Caesar passed away in 138, Hadrian selected Antoninus Pius (86-161) to be his successor. Therefore Antoninus was adopted by Hadrian (at the age of 51) on the proviso that Antoninus would adopt Verus and Hadrian's great-nephew, Marcus Aurelius, as his sons and heirs to the throne. The young prince and future emperor received an excellent education from the famed grammaticus, Marcus Cornelius Fronto. An excellent student, Verus enjoyed writing poetry and presenting speeches. He began his political career in153 as a quaestor, became consul in 154, and the year 161 saw him serve as consul again with his brother Marcus as his senior partner.

Upon the death of Antoninus Pius on 7 March 161, Marcus Aurelius became Emperor of Rome. The Senate had planned to confirm Marcus alone, but he refused to take office unless Lucius Verus was given equal power. The Senate accepted, and it was the first time that Rome was ruled by two emperors. However Marcus had more authority: he had been consul once more than Lucius, had taken a role in Antoninus Pius's administration, and alone was Pontifex Maximus. The biographer wrote, "Verus obeyed Marcus ... as a lieutenant obeys a proconsul or a governor obeys the emperor."

In 161 the Parthians deposed the king of Armenia, a Roman ally, and then attacked the Roman province of Syria. Marcus Aurelius remained in Rome. Verus was given command of the army against the Parthians, but arrived in Syria nine months later during 162. The was due to illness and also his being careless and preoccupied with his pleasures and interests along the way, including hunting. Upon arriving at Antioch, Verus remained there for the entire campaign. The generals were put in charge of the war, while Verus trained as a gladiator and animal fighter. He also sent many letter back to Rome asking about his horses. He had no military experience whatsoever. After the generals had successfully ended the campaign, Verus returned to Rome in triumph in October of 166. However a serious plague was brought to Rome along with the troops. The epidemic devastated the empire for ten years from Turkey to the Rhine. Then Germanic tribes attacked the Danube frontier and forced the two emperors to respond. Thus they led their troops north in the fall of 167.  They marched north of the Alps to make a show of force and re-establish Roman authority there. On the way back to Rome, after contracting smallpox, Lucius Verus died. His remains were brought back to Rome where he was deified by the Senate and laid to rest in the Mausoleum of Hadrian.