AntoninusPiusdiedin161, , whomAntoninushadadoptedasayoungersonatthesametimewithMarcus, , , -meditatedrevoltbydestroyingawholeRomanLegionandinvadingSyria (162).Veruswassentoffinhothastetoquellthisrising; andhefulfilledhistrustbyplungingintodrunkennessanddebauchery, , theQuadi (mentionedinthisbook), theSarmatians, theCatti, , theonebroughtfromtheeastbyVerus'slegions, —Marcusbeingforcedeventoselltheimperialjewelstofindmoney—bothemperorssetforthtoastrugglewhichwastocontinuemoreorlessduringtherestofMarcus', in169, ; butthusmuchiscertain, thatintheendtheRomanssucceededincrushingthebarbariantribes, -in-chief, andvictorywasduenolesstohisownabilitythantohiswisdominchoiceoflieutenants, ; andoneofthemhasbecomecelebratedforthelegendoftheThunderingLegion.InabattleagainsttheQuadiin174, thedayseemedtobegoinginfavourofthefoe, whenonasuddenaroseagreatstormofthunderandrainthelightningstruckthebarbarianswithterror, , , sothispartofthestoryatleastcannotbetrue; buttheaidofthestormisacknowledgedbyoneofthescenescarvedonAntonine'sColumnatRome, whichcommemoratesthesewars.
, anablecaptainwhohadwonrenownintheParthianwars, , hehadconceivedtheprojectofproclaiminghimselfemperorassoonasMarcus, whowastheninfeeblehealth, shoulddie; andareporthavingbeenconveyedtohimthatMarcuswasdead, , onhearingthenews, , ; hisfollowersfellawayfromhim, , andwhiletherethemurderersbroughttheheadofCassiustohim; buttheemperorindignantlyrefusedtheirgift, norwouldheadmitthementohispresence.
