VERUS, LUCIUS

born Dec. 15, 130 died 169 in full Lucius Aurelius Verus, also called (AD 136161) Lucius Ceionius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus, original name Lucius Ceionius Commodus Roman emperor jointly (161169) with Marcus Aurelius. Though he enjoyed equal constitutional status and powers, he did not have equal authority, nor did he seem capable of bearing his share of the responsibilities. He was the son of a senator, Lucius Ceionius Commodus, whom the emperor Hadrian adopted as his successor. After his father's death, Lucius Verus and Marcus Annius Verus, at the insistence of Hadrian, were adopted by the future emperor Antoninus Pius. Lucius Verus' brother succeeded as Emperor Marcus Aurelius on the death of Antoninus and made Lucius Verus his colleague in the principate. For the first time Rome had two emperors of technically complete equality. When sent to deal with Parthian advances in Armenia and Mesopotamia (162166), Verus dallied in Antioch and subordinate generals concluded the war. In 167 or 168 Verus campaigned with Marcus Aurelius in the vicinity of Pannonia against a German people, the Marcomanni, but he died on the march home.