Antonines

 

(ăn'tənīnz) , collective name of certain Roman emperors of the 2d cent., namely Antoninus Pius; his adopted sons, Marcus Aurelius and Verus; and Commodus.

This page is on the Roman imperial dynasty; for Catholic clergy of the same name, see Anthonians

The Antonines most often referred to were two successive Roman Emperors who ruled between 138 and 180: Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, famous for their skilled leadership. Also included in those usually considered to be "Antonines" were Lucius Verus for a time (161–169) co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, and Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius.

In 138, after a long reign dedicated to the cultural unification and consolidation of the empire, the Emperor Hadrian named Antoninus his son and heir, under the condition that he adopt both Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. Hadrian died that same year, and Antoninus began a peaceful, benevolent reign, in contrast to Hadrian's wars of unification and his immediate predecessors' expansionist wars. He adhered strictly to Roman traditions and institutions and willingly sharing his power with the Roman Senate.

Marcus Aurelius succeeded Antoninus Pius upon that emperor's 161 death and continued his legacy as an unpretentious and gifted administrator and leader, a modern Numa Pompilius. Marcus Aurelius died in 180 and was followed by his biological son Commodus, who single-handedly ended the line of "Five Good Emperors" and the Pax Romana in general.

Edward Gibbon considers the reign of the Antonines, as well as those of their predecessors Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian, the height of the Roman Empire (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire).

Antoninus Pius.

Marcus Aurelius.

Lucius Verus.

Commodus

See also

• Hadrian
• Antoninus Pius
• Marcus Aurelius
• Commodus

Preceded by Nervo-Trajanic Dynasty

Antonines 138 –192

Succeeded by Year of the Five Emperors, then Severan dynasty

Roman Emperors by Epoch
see also: List of Roman Emperors · Concise list of Roman Emperors · Roman Empire
Principate Crisis of the 3rd century Dominate Division Successors Julio-Claudian dynasty Four Emperors (68–69) Flavian dynasty Nervan-Antonian dynasty Five Emperors (192–193) Severan dynasty Barracks Emperors Illyrian Emperors Thirty Tyrants Gallic Emperors Britannic Emperors Tetrarchies Constantinian dynasty Valentinian dynasty Theodosian dynasty Western Roman Emperors Eastern Roman Emperors Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy Holy Roman Emperors Byzantine Emperors

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