He ruled as a successor to Hadrian who died from a hemorrhage.
Chat with our AI personalities
Marcus Aurelius came to power through a process known as adoption. He was adopted by the reigning emperor at the time, Antoninus Pius, in 138 AD. This adoption was part of a succession plan agreed upon by the previous emperor, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. When Antoninus Pius died in 161 AD, Marcus Aurelius became the new emperor of Rome.