Antoninus Pius

Antoninus Pius was a Roman emperor who ruled from AD 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the fourth of the six adoptive emperors. Born into a senatorial family, he held various offices under Emperor Hadrian, married Hadrian's niece Faustina, and was adopted by Hadrian as son and successor shortly before Hadrian's death. He received the cognomen Pius after taking the throne, either because he compelled the Senate to deify his adoptive father or because he had saved senators whom Hadrian had sentenced to death. His reign was notable for peace across the Empire, with no major revolts or military incursions, and an early campaign in southern Scotland led to the Antonine Wall. He was an effective administrator who left a large treasury surplus, widened free access to drinking water, encouraged legal conformity and eased the enfranchisement of freed slaves. He died of illness in AD 161 and was succeeded by his adopted sons Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus as co-emperors.