Lucius Verus

Lucius Ceionius Commodus was born on December 15, 130 CE, in Rome. He was the eldest son of Lucius Aelius Caesar, who had been Emperor Hadrian's first adopted heir. When his father died unexpectedly on January 1, 138 CE, the young Lucius found himself in a precarious position. However, Emperor Hadrian's careful succession planning ensured his future.

Hadrian chose Antoninus Pius as his new heir but required him to adopt both Lucius and Marcus Aurelius as his own sons. This arrangement made Lucius Hadrian's adoptive grandson through two different lines of succession. He received an excellent education from the famous grammaticus Marcus Cornelius Fronto, who reported that Lucius was an excellent student with a particular fondness for writing poetry and delivering speeches.

Lucius began his political career early, serving as quaestor in 153 CE (one year before the legal age) and becoming consul in 154 CE. When Antoninus Pius died on March 7, 161 CE, Marcus Aurelius was designated as the sole successor. However, Marcus refused to take office unless Lucius received equal powers, demonstrating the strong bond between the adoptive brothers.

The Senate accepted this unprecedented arrangement, making Lucius the first co-emperor in Roman history. He took the name Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus, while Marcus became Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. Though they held equal titles, Marcus clearly held more authority due to his greater experience and his role as Pontifex Maximus. As one biographer noted, "Verus obeyed Marcus as a lieutenant obeys a proconsul."

The first major crisis of the joint reign came when Vologases IV of Parthia invaded Armenia in 161 CE, installing his own king and threatening Roman interests in the East. It was decided that Lucius should personally direct the Parthian War, as he was considered stronger and healthier than Marcus, and more suited to military activity.

Lucius departed for the East in 162 CE, accompanied by experienced advisors including the praetorian prefect Furius Victorinus and several seasoned generals. He established his headquarters in Antioch, from where he coordinated a successful campaign that lasted from 161 to 166 CE. Under his command, Roman forces recaptured Armenia, invaded Mesopotamia, and even sacked the Parthian capital of Ctesiphon. The war ended in complete Roman victory, with Lucius earning the titles Armeniacus and Parthicus Maximus.

During the Parthian campaign, Lucius married Marcus Aurelius's daughter Lucilla in Ephesus around 164 CE, strengthening the bond between the co-emperors. However, his time in the East also revealed aspects of his character that concerned some observers. He was known for his love of luxury, entertainment, and the company of actors and musicians.

Critics accused him of spending too much time gambling and enjoying the pleasures of Antioch rather than focusing solely on military matters. He took a mistress named Panthea from Smyrna, who was described as a woman of perfect beauty and wit. Despite these personal indulgences, Lucius maintained his effectiveness as a military commander and fulfilled his imperial duties. His tutor Fronto defended him, arguing that the Roman people needed such entertainments to keep them content.

After the successful conclusion of the Parthian War, Lucius returned to Rome and spent two years (166-168 CE) in the capital. In 168 CE, he joined Marcus Aurelius on the Danube frontier to face new threats from Germanic tribes. However, his military career was cut short when he fell ill and died on January 23, 169 CE, at Altinum in northern Italy, at the age of 38.

Lucius Verus was deified by the Roman Senate as Divus Verus. His death left Marcus Aurelius as sole emperor for the remainder of his reign. Despite his reputation for luxury and pleasure-seeking, Lucius had proven himself an effective military leader and loyal co-ruler. His successful Parthian campaign secured Rome's eastern frontier for decades and demonstrated that the unique experiment of co-emperorship could work when built on mutual respect and shared Stoic values of duty to the state.