Roman Emperor Lucius Verus
Lucius Ceionius Commodus Verus Armeniacus or more simply known as Lucius Verus was a Roman emperor who ruled jointly with Marcus Aurelius. His own reign lasted for nine years, beginning in 161 AD, while Aurelius ruled until 180 AD.
Verus was born on December 15, in the year 130 AD to the couple Avidia Plautia and Lucius Aelius Caesar. The Emperor Hadrian who ruled from 117 AD until 138 AD, later adopted Verus with the intention of naming him successor to the throne.
Lucius Verus was too young to serve as a direct successor to Hadrian, so upon the death of Aelius Caesar in 138 AD, the emperor named Antoninus Pius as his direct heir to the throne with the stipulation that Pius would in turn adopt both Verus and Hadrian's nephew Marcus Aurelius with whom Verus would later rule the empire in tandem. Lucius Verus was at that time only seven years old.
This sudden change in status proved to be highly beneficial to the future emperor and as befitting the privileges of a young prince he received only the finest education possible. Among his earliest instructors in this period was the renowned grammaticus Marcus Cornelius Fronto. By all accounts, Verus made good on this privilege and quickly blossomed into an eager student with a flair for poetry and a gift for public speaking.
Lucius Verus had two sisters one of whom, Ceionia Fabia, was engaged to be married to Marcus Aurelius 136 AD. The marriage did not take place as planned although the two remained engaged to each other until finally in 138 AD, Marcus Aurelius called off the marriage arrangements. Marcus Aurelius instead married the daughter of emperor Antoninus Pius who was named Faustina the Younger after Pius adopted him. Aside from these facts however, little else is known about Ceionia Fabia as well as Verus' other sister who was named Ceionia Plautia.
Lucius Verus road to becoming emperor began promisingly enough in 153 AD with his appointment as quaestor, which was followed by the position of consul a year later. By 161 AD he would again be appointed as consul this time in partnership with Marcus Aurelius. When emperor Antoninus died on March 7th, 161, Marcus Aurelius assumed command of the throne as the emperor intended, although in a move that surprised many in the government, Lucius Verus was designated co-emperor.
Although the two co-emperors were officially equal in rights of governance, it was actually Marcus Aurelius who was at the helm of the throne. However, the mutual trust and esteem that the two held for each other was evident in Aurelius' decision to grant control over the armies to Verus. Lucius Verus' subsequent marriage to Lucilla (who was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius) further served to solidify the bond between the two leaders. The union bore Lucius and Lucilla three children, two girls and a boy. The elder daughter and the boy died at a young age but the remaining sister would live to adulthood.
Lucius Verus died on December 15, 130 AD.Original Authors: Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 22/07/2008
