‘Marcus Aurelius’Marcus Annius Verus(AD 121 – AD 180) Marcus Annius Verus was born at Rome on 26 April AD 121. His paternal great-grandfather, Annius Verus from Uccubi (near Corduba) in Baetica, had brought the family, wealthy through the production of olive oil, to prominence by gaining the rank of senator and praetor. After this, his …
‘Antoninus Pius’Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionus Arrius Antoninus(AD 86 – AD 161) Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionus Arrius Antoninus was born on 19 September AD 86 at Lanuvium (ca. 20 miles south of Rome). His family had long before come from the city of Nemausus (Nïmes) in southern Gaul, but for a long time since they had …
Publius Aelius Hadrianus(AD 76 – AD 138) Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born on 24 January AD 76, probably at Rome, though his family lived in Italica in Baetica. Having originally come from Picenum in north-eastern when this part of Spain was opened up to Roman settlement, Hadrian’s family had lived in Italica for some three …
Marcus Ulpius Trajanus(AD 52 – AD 117) Marcus Ulpius Trajanus was born on 18 September at Italica near Seville, most likely in the year AD 52. His Spanish origin made him the first emperor not to come from Italy. Although he was from an old Umbrian family from Tuder in northern Italy which had chosen …
Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus(AD ca. 159 – AD 238) Marcus Gordianus was born in ca. AD 159 as the son of Maecius Marullus and Ulpia Gordiana. Although the names of this parentage are in doubt. In particular his mother’s supposed name Ulpia stems most likely from Gordian’s claim that she was a descendant of …
Marcus Cocceius Nerva(AD 30 – AD 98) Marcus Cocceius Nerva was born on 8 November at Narnia, 50 miles north of Rome. Nerva was born into the household of a wealthy lawyer whose family was well accustomed to holding high office. Nerva’s great-grandfather had even been consul in 36 BC and his grandfather had been …