Marcus Aurelius became emperor of Rome in 161 CE. The Roman Empire had been at peace for almost 200 years.
This time was called the Pax Romana. That means Roman Peace. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the “Five Good Emperors,” as some called them.
Marcus Aurelius was a kind, smart leader. He cared about his people. Yet he faced many problems. In the north, he had to fight Germanic tribes. In the east, he had to defend against the Parthian Empire. That was based in what we now call Iraq and Iran. He faced troubles at home, too. The Roman Empire was getting weaker. It kept getting weaker for the next 200 years.
