Pharos Studien zur griechisch-römischen Antike - 40: Studien zur Außenpolitik der Kaiser Antoninus Pius und Marc Aurel im Schatten der Markomannenkriege

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The book demonstrates that the foreign policy of the two emperors and the Marcomannic War must be viewed against a wider background. While Hadrian left behind peace and a powerful army, hardly a single year under the rule of Antoninus Pius was free from conflict with Britons, Parthians, Africans or tribes behind the Danube border, which eventually resulted in considerable expansion and massive construction of the limites and created a sense of security and stability in Rome. All the more radical was the change towards the “age of fear” under Marcus Aurelius which found its visual expression in the Column of Marcus Aurelius. The basic problem was the double principate of Marcus and his adopted brother Lucius Verus, which threatened to undermine Marcus’ authority by Lucius’ success in the Parthian War and demanded comparable military achievements of Marcus. He therefore started a both legitimising and preventive campaign against the Iazyges. After Lucius’ death and a major Roman defeat, the Marcomanni and Quadi entered the war which did not end in Macus’ lifetime. Only his successor Commodus established a new peace order that was to last until the 1st half of the 3rd century.