Let's say that Commodus was never born, or ended up dying like all of his brothers did. Who might've succeeded Marcus Aurelius?
No Commodus, who could succeed Marcus Aurelius?
- Thread starter Mort the Reaper
- Start date
No gladiator movie
So Maximus gets the throne
In all seriousness I think lucuis migth have a chance
Or an adopted child
Still the chances of civil war
So Maximus gets the throne
In all seriousness I think lucuis migth have a chance
Or an adopted child
Still the chances of civil war
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Well with no clear line of succession, ambitious governors and generals will probably spring into action and march on Rome. It could really be a Year of the Four Emperors all over again.
I'd say it really depends on the circumstances. If Commodus dies late in the game, then you do have a problem, a very clear one if it's very late.
However, if Commodus is never born or dies young, then you're in the same situation as all the other emperors, and it might really help.
Marcus Aurelius would have to adopt/groom another heir who wouldn't be born in the purple, just like Hadrian and Trajan.
You'd be cementing the practice of adopting a competent heir
Almost certainly Marcus Quadratus Annianus is adopted by Marcus Aurelius either during his life or posthumously and succeeds as Emperor. He's a nephew, he's the right age at 42, he's not obviously mad, he's the obvious choice. As for how is reign goes who knows, but he inherits an Empire in good shape, he's had relevant experience as an Imperial Governor prior to his ascension though the manner of his death, if true, suggests he wasn't the sharpest tool in the box. He has all the potential to be a mediocre Emperor.
And Marcus may not be so wee-thought of if his successor isn't obviously so muc worse. Maybe it's Ammianus' death that is remembered as when everything started to go wrong.
Eh, the empire certainly wasn't in a downward spiral yet, but the draw out wars marcus fought combined with the plagues that devastated the population weren't a good thing
MA's son-in-law, distinguished general Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus sounds like the most likely choice here. He was old and would die around the 190's, but he did have a son.
The Romans generally regarded blood as more important than marriage when it came to heirs so with his grandchildren too young a blood nephew is likely to be adopted in preference to a son-in-law.
Not really in that period. Marcus Aurelius here will simply adopt his son-in-law as heir...
Naa, it was whoever the Emperor chose as his hier, blood was important, but it wasnt everything. I think honestly it wiuld either be tiberius claudius Pompeianus most likely as Marcus Aurelius auctually offered him the throne after Verus died. Quadratus would then be in line after Pompeianus own sons, unless Pompeianus also chose to adopt.
But i would say Pompeianus, simple he had been offered the throne before he auctually was offered it 3 times at varying times. He would then have most likely around a 10 year reign probably winning the Germanic wars or to a better degree anyways. Then either his sons, Quadratus, or another descendant of Marcus Aurelius would be chosen as hier
Another possible candidate is Avidius Cassius. Cassius was already basically Aurelius second in comman and being trusted with substantial power.