Which statement about Marcus Aurelius is true?

Which statement about Marcus Aurelius is true?

• A. He ruled with his adopted brother, Lucius Verus, as co-emperors.
• B. He ended Pax Romana by civil war.
• C. He was the first emperor of Rome.
• D. He never ruled together with anyone.

Answer: (A)

Two-emperor rule is the key idea here: Marcus Aurelius shared the throne with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus, a notable arrangement in Roman leadership. From 161 to 169, they held the imperial title together, with Verus overseeing the eastern provinces and Marcus directing campaigns on the Danube and handling overall administration. When Verus died, Marcus continued as sole emperor, which is why this statement is true. The other ideas don’t fit: Pax Romana did not end due to a civil war during Marcus’s reign, and Augustus was the first Roman emperor, not Marcus. Marcus did indeed rule jointly with another emperor, which is the aspect this statement highlights.

Two-emperor rule is the key idea here: Marcus Aurelius shared the throne with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus, a notable arrangement in Roman leadership. From 161 to 169, they held the imperial title together, with Verus overseeing the eastern provinces and Marcus directing campaigns on the Danube and handling overall administration. When Verus died, Marcus continued as sole emperor, which is why this statement is true.

The other ideas don’t fit: Pax Romana did not end due to a civil war during Marcus’s reign, and Augustus was the first Roman emperor, not Marcus. Marcus did indeed rule jointly with another emperor, which is the aspect this statement highlights.