View source for Marcus Annius Verus (father of Marcus Aurelius)

{{short description|Father of Marcus Aurelius}}
[[File:Annius Verus-praetor.jpg|200px|thumb|Marcus Annius Verus from ''[[Promptuarium Iconum Insigniorum|Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum]]'']]
'''Marcus Annius Verus''' ({{died in|124 AD}}) was a distinguished Roman politician who lived in the 2nd century, served as a [[praetor]] and was the father of the Emperor [[Marcus Aurelius]].

==Life==
He was the son of [[Roman senator]] [[Marcus Annius Verus (grandfather of Marcus Aurelius)|Marcus Annius Verus]] and noblewoman Rupilia Faustina. His brother was the [[Roman consul|consul]] [[Marcus Annius Libo]] and his sister was [[Faustina the Elder]], wife of [[Antoninus Pius]]. He married [[Domitia Lucilla Minor|Domitia Lucilla]], the heiress of a wealthy family which owned a tile factory. They had two children, [[Marcus Aurelius]] (born in 121, and who was also originally named Marcus Annius Verus), and [[Annia Cornificia Faustina]] (born in 123). Annius Verus died young while he held the office of [[praetor]].<ref>Historia Augusta, ''Marcus Aurelius'', 1</ref> Both his children were still young. The likeliest year of his death is 124.<ref>"His younger brother Annius Libo was consul in 128 and can hardly have been praetor later than 126. Verus must have been praetor earlier than this and 124 is the likeliest year of his death." Anthony Richard Birley, 2000, ''Marcus Aurelius: A Biography'', page 31.</ref>

In his ''[[Meditations]]'', Marcus Aurelius, who was only about 3 years old when his father died, says of him: "From what I heard of my father and my memory of him, modesty and manliness."<ref>Marcus Aurelius, ''Meditations'', i. 2</ref>

{{Nerva-Antonine family tree}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verus, Marcus Annius}}
[[Category:2nd-century Romans]]
[[Category:124 deaths]]
[[Category:Annii]]
[[Category:Nerva–Antonine dynasty]]
[[Category:Imperial Roman praetors]]
[[Category:Date of birth unknown]]