Biography
Even in the XVIII century, the English historian, studying the development of statehood in the Roman Empire, conditionally allocated the so-called period of five good emperors. They all belonged to the third from the beginning of the principle of the Roman Dynasty of Antonins. The time of the reign should be clearly followed by each other, and the last of the rulers who brought the glory and well-being Rome became Mark Azeri Antonin.Childhood and youth
Biography Mark Aurelia is ambiguous, and reliable information about its origin and this family has been preserved a bit.
Mark Averali Antonin was born on April 26, 121 in Rome. Parents of the future ruler, according to one sources, were Any Ver and the Lucillom Domination. At birth, the boy called Marcus Anius Calius Severus. His mother, Lucill's domination - the youngest, took place from the aristocratic clan of the Nobili Calvisians and had to the relative of the Emperor Adrian.
The domination was characterized by a soft temper, not at all interested in political affairs and devoted himself to raising children. By the way, the children in the family had two. In 121, Marcus Anius was born, and a year later, the daughter of Annya Cornfia, which died for an unknown reason at 36 years.
On other sources, Mark Azeri was born in the family of noble patrician, whose roots are lost in neighboring Spain. Soon the boy adopted the family of the third wife of the Mother of Emperor Adriana - Lucillla Powlin's domination. When the first adoptive father died in 139, the young man was adopted by Emperor Antonin Pei, where the boy received another name - Mark Elya Aureli Vel Caesar.
At the order of Grandfather, Marcus Anius studied at home, while he received good education for those times and became famous for the whole district with erudition. From all teachers, Marcus warmly recalled the Diognete, introducing a boy with philosophy and at the same time I learned the basics of painting. Thanks to good education and analytical abilities, the young man was prepared for the post of assistant consul. In 198, the emperor passed away, and Markus took the position alleged earlier and came close to the study of public affairs.
Emperor
Marcus was barely taken by 19 years old when Antonin Piy complained to him the position of consul, which became a huge honor for the young man. In January 161, Averali was elected for the third consular term. Three months later, Antonin Pei died, and the two of his son - Mark Azeri and Luzzi Zeonium Commoda Ver - led the Roman Empire. After eight years of joint reign, the Commoda died, and the authorities moved to the brand Away.
The Leitmotift of the Board Mark Aureliya was emphasized by respectful attitude towards the highest authority of state power in Rome - Senate. No less attention has given a new emperor and justice. Moreover, Mark avoided in this area of dubious innovations, but on the contrary, strengthened the ancient, the original Roman traditions and the norms of law. And the love of the ruler to wisdom, reflections and meditations became the basis of the philosophy of those times. Moreover, although the emperor was a supporter of Stoicism, the opposition department of the epicorean philosophy was successfully worked in Athens, which he patronized.
During power, Mark Aureliya in Rome laid the foundations of municipal support of low-income and large families. Despite the peace-loving ruler's temper, he had to participate not in one war. As soon as Anthony Pius died, the neighboring people from Parphy violated the sovereignty of Roman borders, and the Romans suffered a crushing defeat in two battles. Then the countries concluded the world on not the most profitable conditions for Rome. And after a few months later, the German army attacked the northern borders of the state.
The massive attack of the ancient Germans for all fronts of the North of the Roman Empire forced Mark Aureliya to increase the financing of the army, as well as organize an additional appeal, creating new legions to protect boundaries. Even slaves and famous gladiators took the soldiers. Additional problems of the eastern borders of the Empire created militant and hostile tribes of the Sarmatians. The 57-year-old Emperor Mark Azeri personally headed the army of the Roman Empire against Germans, the Romans successfully occurred, but at that moment the plague epidemic broke out.
Literature
In 146, Mark enthusiastically studied philosophy. In the role of the inspiration and a teacher of a young man, Stoik Quint, Yong Rustik, who also served as an consul.
The saturated life of the emperor, his dedication to the people and political affairs did not prevent him from studying the philosophy to which he showed a tendency from the youthful years. For life, Abrellius wrote twelve books in Greek. Many statements of the philosopher became later aphorisms and not always can remember their author.
The philosophical works of Averalius got the name "reasoning about themselves" (alternative options for transferring the name - "to themselves", "alone with them", "Messages to yourself"). The works of the philosopher became the most important operation of the period of late Stoicism.
Mark led his records as a personal diary, but it was not at the edification of descendants, and even more so did not count on publishing a large circulation. The basis of the philosophical judgments of the author lay down the topic of debt and death. In the book, the emperor describes the situations with which he came across in life is looking for methods for suppressing anger in response to adhered actions of people.
At the heart of the philosophy of ethical reflection, Mark Azerlia lies awareness of the sense of responsibility for the future of their people. From the inside, the Roman society was rotten because of ignorance and immorality, and outside his military campaigns of neighboring barbaric tribes were undermined. In this uneasy for the state and his ruler, the philosopher tried to preserve mental balance, avoid wrath, hatred and feelings of powerlessness.
Despite the deep philosophical life position, the inclination to self-analysis and thought, the philosophical position of Aurelia is not original. The picture of the world of philosophizing emperor was based on the views and the teachings of a philosopher from Greece, who lived in Rome on the Rabit rights, epictics. Both sages taught humility - to take the world around the world as it was created, do not try to change it, do not grief because of his imperfection.
Although, during the reign, the brand Aurelius was considered a paganism, and the Christians were persecuted, the system of the universe of the emperor was close to the original Christian. The philosopher recognized the theory of monotheism - believed in a single top beginning, a kind of superflum that manages all the goal.
The copy of the original manuscript of the author to this day has not been preserved. She was recreated in the XVI century by a German explorer, Humanist-Hellenical Xildar in Latin. The myth of the "Golden Book of Mark Aureliya", the authorship of which allegedly belonged to the ancient Roman emperor, was also debunk by Xildrom. In confirmation of the position of Monotheism, Mark Arellia Xilandr in his analysis of "reasoning about himself" emphasized the similarity of the views of the emperor-pagan with the Christian Scripture - the New Testament.
Until the beginning of the XVII century, the founders of the philosophical direction of Stoicism were considered Senec and epicthet, and a minor role was given to Mark Abrenia. The analytical article of the Swiss scientist Kazobon recovered justice, so Mark Aurelius took an honorable place among the founders of stoicism in world philosophy.
A century, scholars who studied the teachings of the ancient Roman emperor were also carried out by the parallels of his views with early Christianity and ranked Awerellius to unconscious preachers of Christian religion in the pagan Rome. The book of the philosopher "reasoning about himself", which includes 12 sections, became the favorite book of the 42nd American President Bill Clinton.
Personal life
After the death of Adrian, Antonin Pei came to power, and the engagement of the state husband of Mark Aurelius and the daughter of the new emperor Annia Galeria of Faustina took place.
In marriage, the girl gave birth to 12 children, but only four of them survived.
Death Mark Aurelia
At the end of the period of the Board, when the German tribes threatened the borders of Rome, Mark Azeri became at the head of the Roman army, but a lot of lives firmly burned in Europe. The Roman emperor was the victim of terrible illness. On March 17, 178, Averali died in Windobone (the territory of the current Austria). Given the rise in the standard of living of ordinary Romans, strengthening Rome's authority among neighboring countries, Mark Aureliya after death ranked to the gods. The dust of the emperor was transported to Rome and ran into the Mausoleum of Adrian.
Dying and giving himself a report in this, Mark did not feel death, but all the soul was experiencing for the future of Rome and his people. In memory of the wise of the Emperor, books that narrow about the ancient philosophy of stoicism and the government in harmony with the moral principles of mankind, as well as the Emperor's equestrian statue of the emperor, remained.
The sculpture was found in the Middle Ages and watered on one of the seven hills, where the ancient Rome was erected - the Roman Capitol. The monument is in the new palace, on the Capitol Square in Rome to this day, resembling the magnitude and high morality of the rulers of ancient Rome, expressed in a majestic statue.
The death of five good emperors in the history of the Roman Empire was completed with the death of the wise emperor in the history of the Roman Empire. The son and successor to Mark Aureliya Commod, prone to pleasures rather than wisdom and politics, not wanting to bother himself a war with barbarians, signed a peace treaty, who demonstrated the enemy weakness and vulnerability of Rome.
Bibliography
- "Reasoning about yourself"