Antoninus Pius

Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius was a Roman emperor who ruled from AD 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors in the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a important family, Antoninus held many positions during the rule of Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian later chose him as his successor and adopted him as his son.

Antoninus earned the name Pius, possibly because he helped save senators from being harmed by Hadrian or because he helped the Senate honor Hadrian after his death. His time as emperor was mostly peaceful, with no big wars or uprisings. One of his successes was a military campaign in southern Scotland, which led to the building of the Antonine Wall.

As an emperor, Antoninus was good at managing the empire. He left behind plenty of money for future leaders, made sure people had access to clean drinking water, supported fair laws, and helped free slaves gain more rights. He passed away from illness in AD 161 and was followed by his adopted sons Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus as joint emperors.

Early life

Antoninus Pius was born in 86 near Lanuvium, which is now called Lanuvio in Italy. His parents were Titus Aurelius Fulvus, who was a consul, and Arria Fadilla. He was raised by his grandfather, Gnaeus Arrius Antoninus, a respected and cultured man.

Around the year 110, Antoninus married Annia Galeria Faustina the Elder. They had a happy marriage and four children: two sons and two daughters. After Faustina passed away in 141, Antoninus was very sad. He honored her memory by asking the Senate to treat her like a goddess and built a temple for her in the Roman Forum. He also created a charity to help poor girls from good families.

Antoninus became very favored by the emperor Hadrian. Hadrian chose Antoninus to be his successor in 138, after the death of his first adopted son Lucius Aelius. Antoninus agreed only if he could also adopt two young boys who would later become emperors: Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus.

Emperor

Antoninus became emperor and took the name Imperator Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus. One of his first actions was to convince the Senate to honor his predecessor, Hadrian, with divine status. This effort likely earned him the title “Pius,” meaning dutiful.

Antoninus focused on building projects, supporting the arts and sciences, and rewarding teachers of rhetoric and philosophy. He made few changes to the way Hadrian had governed, keeping things mostly as they were. His leadership included a group of influential senatorial families.

Lack of warfare

Antoninus’s reign saw little military action. He never led soldiers himself and stayed away from battle areas. Though there were small uprisings in places like Mauretania, Judea, and Britannia, they were handled by local leaders. In Britain, Antoninus ordered the building of a wall in Scotland, but it was later abandoned. These events did not involve Antoninus leaving Italy.

Economy and administration

Antoninus was skilled at managing the empire’s resources. He left a large amount of money in the treasury when he died, but it was quickly used up after an illness spread by soldiers returning from war. He helped cities that suffered from disasters, offering money for rebuilding. Antoninus also supported learning and culture, confirming benefits for teachers and creating a position for teaching rhetoric in Athens.

Legal reforms

Antoninus showed interest in fair laws across the empire. He made changes to improve justice, such as ensuring suspects were treated fairly before trials. He also introduced rules to protect slaves, like punishing masters who killed slaves without a trial. In 148, Rome celebrated the 900th anniversary of its founding with grand games featuring many animals.

Diplomatic mission to China

In 166 AD, a group claiming to be from Rome arrived in China. They said they represented “Antoninus,” the ruler of Rome. They brought gifts like rhino horns and ivory. This marked the first known direct contact between Rome and China. Roman items from Antoninus’s time have been found in southern Vietnam and China, showing trade links between the two regions.

Death and legacy

Antoninus Pius grew older and found it hard to stand up without help. He ate dry bread to stay strong enough for his daily meetings.

Before he died, Antoninus made sure everything was ready for Marcus Aurelius to take over. Two days before he passed away, he was at his home outside Rome. He ate some special cheese and later that night felt sick. The next day, he gave his duties to Marcus and shared some wise final words. He died peacefully, and his funeral was very grand. His body was buried in a special tomb, and he was honored as a god by the Roman people.

Antoninus is remembered for his kind rule and careful management of the empire. Some think he could have done more to prepare for future problems, but many admired his peaceful and fair leadership. He is also known as an ancestor of later Roman leaders.

Nerva–Antonine family tree