Marcus Aurelius, Philosopher King?

Have you ever seen the movie Gladiator? It begins with an exciting battle between the Romans and Germanic tribes. There are massive dart launchers and catapults that throw balls of flame that explode when they hit the trees under which the Germans stand. At one point, it looks as if the entire hillside has been napalmed. Maximus, the general of the Roman army, is played by Russel Crowe, who has all these great lines, like, “Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity.”  He even has a faithful dog that runs into battle with him.

Overlooking the battle is the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, played by Richard Harris, the better of the two Dumbledors if you ask me, but that is a subject for another article. Shortly after the battle, Marcus Aurelius tells Maximus that he is to be the next leader of Rome. Unfortunately, this is all made up. While, as shown in the movie, Marcus Aurelius did have a son, Commodus, and a daughter, Lucilla, there was no Maximus. Interestingly, the film portrays Marcus as turning over the empire to an adopted son, or as Richard Harris says, “the son I should have had.” This supposed adoption and the ensuing conflict between Maximus and Commodus becomes the film’s premise, which is interesting from a historical perspective.

Marcus Aurelius is listed by historians as one of the Five Good Emperors, along with Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. They ruled over the most majestic days of Rome. One of the things that made the Good Emperors good was that having no heir, they selected their successor not on bloodline but on who they thought was best to rule Rome. The exception to this was Marcus Aurelius, who was succeeded by his son Commodus. There is no record of which I am aware that Marcus intended to turn over the empire to anyone other than his son.

However, Marcus Aurelius himself was chosen by a predecessor. Recognizing Marcus’s potential, Hadrian directed Antoninus Pius to adopt him. Marcus Aurelius was destined to rule. He was born into one of Rome’s most distinguished families in the same year as his grandfather’s second term as Roman consul. Although it was primarily considered a ceremonial position at that point in history, it was the highest office in Rome, at least in theory. As a child, he must have been the quintessential Roman boy, enjoying boxing, wrestling, running, and falconry.

Educated by private tutors in literature and philosophy, Marcus also developed his intellectual side. Taking his lessons to heart, at age 11, he decided to live as a philosopher, wearing a rough Greek cloak and sleeping on the ground. Despite being ordered to stop sleeping on the ground by his mother, he continued to think as a philosopher, putting what he learned into practice. Among his tutors was the Stoic Quintas Junius Rusticus, whose grandfather, also a Stoic Philosopher, was executed for his opposition to the tyrannical emperor Domitian. The influence of Rusticus brought Marcus to the understanding that, as emperor, he was to rule not through oppression but on behalf of the people.

While many saw Marcus as the personification of Plato’s Philosopher King, he would have balked at the title. Instead, he saw himself more as a student of philosophy who struggled with putting Stoic principles into practice. Yet, he governed and ruled Rome according to the Stoic tenets in which he was instructed. In so doing, he developed a reputation as a fair and well-tempered emperor of a sound mind.

Gladiator got a lot of things right. For example, Marcus Aurelius led several campaigns against the Germanic tribes. During one of these campaigns, he is believed to have written The Meditations, the work for which he is best known. I suspect that Marcus would have been surprised to see it considered one of the great works of Western Literature since he had written it for himself, a personal diary of sorts, never intending it to be made public. Pierre Hadot, a French scholar, referred to what is contained within Meditations as spiritual exercises. It is quite literally a self-help book that has inspired millions in the two thousand years since its writing, assisting them in finding a better way to live.

In the movie, when Marcus speaks with Maximus, he asks Maximus, “How will the world speak my name in years to come.” I believe the answer to that is clear. Marcus Aurelius was a wise man, a student of philosophy who provided subsequent generations with a guidebook on how to lead a virtuous life.

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