Lucio Vero

Lucius Aurelius Verus (Latin: Lucius Aurelius Verus; Rome, December 15, 130 - Altinum, 169), commonly known as Lucius Verus, Roman co-emperor along with Marcus Aurelius, from the year 161 until the time of his death. Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius were adopted sons of Antoninus Pius by Hadrian's mandate and the first two to rule jointly in the history of Rome.

Life

Adoption by Adriano

Vero was the son of Avidia, daughter of the consular Gaius Avidio Nigrino, and of Lucius Aelius Caesar, adopted son, and expected successor, of Emperor Hadrian. When Aelius Caesar died in 138, Hadrian chose Antoninus Pius as his successor, on the condition that Antoninus adopt both Vero (then 7 years old) and Hadrian's nephew Marcus Aurelius. As an imperial prince, Vero received a careful education from the most renowned grammaticus, Marco Cornelio Frontón. It is known from Vero that he was a magnificent student, with hobbies such as poetry and reciting speeches.

Imperial Rise

Vero's political career began as quaestor in 153, becoming consul the following year (154). In 161 he was again elected consul, Marcus Aurelius being his colleague in the consular office. When Antoninus died on March 7, 161, being succeeded by Marcus Aurelius, Vero was appointed as co-emperor, a fact unprecedented up to that time in the Roman Empire. Officially both men shared the same powers, but in practice it was Marcus Aurelius who really held the power. Vero was assigned control of the army, thus demonstrating the trust between him and his adoptive brother. To strengthen this alliance, Marco Aurelio offered his daughter Lucila in marriage to Vero, a marriage that had three children.

Campaign in the East

Between 162 and 166, Vero was stationed in the East, leading the military campaign of the Romans against the Parthian Empire for control of the kingdom of Armenia. During this war, the city of Seleucia on the Tigris was destroyed, and the palace of the Parthian capital Ctesiphon was burned and razed by Avidius Cassius in 164. In this campaign the Roman legions advanced until they reached Media. Vologases IV of Parthia sought peace with the Roman Empire, being forced to surrender western Mesopotamia to the Romans. Vero stood out in this campaign as an excellent commander, unafraid to hand over important military tasks to more competent generals.

Commemorative Denial of Victory Lucio Vero on Partia Vologases IV, in the Armenian War.

His contemporaries report that Vero did not have a really hard experience during the Parthian campaign: he always lived surrounded by actors and musicians, enjoying abundant banquets and other pleasures of life. Apparently these pleasant measures were transferred to the rank troops, in order to boost morale. This extravagant attitude was not an obstacle to his judicious actions in the military field, where he proved himself a capable leader, who fulfilled his tasks competently. After the Parthian campaign, Vero was presented with a triumph, receiving the nickname Armeniacus. The parade was unusual, since Vero, Marco Aurelio, all his sons and his unmarried daughters participated, as if it were a great family celebration.

Years in Rome

Vero spent the next two years in Rome, where he continued his lavish lifestyle, keeping a veritable legion of actors and favorites at his side. He owned an inn, built in his own house, where he held parties with his friends until dawn. He also enjoyed wandering around the city and among the town, without showing his true identity. The games of the Roman circus were another of the passions of his life, especially chariot races. Marcus Aurelius disapproved of his conduct, but since Vero continued to carry out her official duties with efficiency, there was really little he could do.

Wars on the Danube and death

Relieve preserved at the Ephesos Museum in Vienna, coming from a memorial of Ephesus, located opposite the Celso Library, dedicated to the patic victory of Lucio Vero, built in the 170s, in which the apotheosis of Lucio Vero appears.

In the spring of 168, war broke out again on the Danube border, when the Germanic tribes of the Alamans and Marcomanni invaded Roman territory. This war would develop until the year 180, although Vero did not live to see the end of it. In early 169, both Verus and Marcus Aurelius returned to Rome from the front, and Verus fell ill, showing symptoms attributed to food poisoning, dying a few days later. However, scholars believe that Vero could have died a victim of smallpox, as he perished during the general epidemic known as the Antonian plague. Despite the small differences between the two, Marcus Aurelius deeply regretted the loss of his adoptive brother. He accompanied his body to Rome, where he offered games to honor his memory. After his funeral, the Roman Senate declared Vero a god, with the consequent treatment Divus Verus.