enus), who had come from Pergamus to
Rome, was now enabled to exhibit his uncommon professional skill. This
pestilence lasted for several years.

Verus died of intemperance A.D. 171, and Aurelius prevailed upon the
Senate to rank him among the gods. He now marched against the
Marcomanni, but was defeated in a great battle, and, in order to provide
a new army, sold the imperial plate and jewels. He now took up a
position at Sirmium (Sirmich), and endeavored to wear out the barbarians
by skirmishes and sudden attacks, without venturing far from his
strong-hold. At length, however, upon one occasion, having been drawn
into a defile, the Roman army was relieved by a fierce storm of thunder
and rain, which terrified the barbarians. Tradition attributes this
sudden storm to the prayers of a Christian legion. The barbarians now
submitted, and withdrew beyond the Danube.

Soon after, an insurrection broke out in Syria, where Avidius Cassius,
at the instigation, it is said, of the emperor's wife Faustina, had
proclaimed himself emperor. But Cassius, by his severity, disgusted his
own soldiers, and was assassinated by a centurion. Aurelius lamented
this event, since it deprived him of an opportunity of showing clemency
to an erring friend. He at once set out for the East, and there freely
forgave all those who had conspired against him. He took the young
family of Cassius under his protection, and ordered the papers of that
officer to be destroyed, lest they might disclose the names of the
conspirators. Faustina, who had accompanied her husband to Cilicia, died
soon after, it is said, by her own hand.

It is remarkable that this philosophic emperor should have permitted a
cruel persecution of the Christians in A.D. 177, perhaps at the
instigation of the Stoic philosophers--the only blot upon his general
humanity and benevolence. Among the victims of this persecution was
Justin Martyr, the author of the Apologies for Christianity, addressed
to Antoninus, as well as to Aurelius himself. Toward the close of his
reign, having become convinced of the falseness of the charges made
against the Christians, Aurelius became once more tolerant and
philosophic.

In A.D. 176 the emperor triumphed at Rome for his various successes. He
gave a donation of eight pieces of gold to every citizen, and made his
son Commodus his colleague. In the mean time the barbarians in the
interior of Europe, moved by a general impulse, began to press upon th