Marcus Aurelius

 Marcus Aurelius was one of the most revered Roman Emperors who believed in placing his empire before everything else. He served as the last Emperor of the 'Pax romana which was a period of relatively peace and stability within the Roman Empire. An avid fan of Stoicism, his philosophical ideals and writings were compiled and kept in a dairy for over ten years. The compilation is referred to by the world today as 'Meditations.' At a time where war and malady shook the Roman empire, Aurelius made sure that his actions met the expectations of his people by shielding his people from the wrath of the Germans and the Parthians. The charismatic leader is said to have spent his childhood and early adulthood focusing on music and drama, literature, science and geometry. As a young man studying philosophy, he did so with passion and began to develop an interest in law, which later led to him being the leader of the senate. While he was the Emperor, he battled northern nemeses with his sons Verus and his son Commodus and therefore began expanding the borders of his empire. 13 centuries following his reign,