Births and deaths, 147–152 Early life and career of Marcus Aurelius

the mausoleum of hadrian, children of marcus , faustina buried

on 30 november 147, faustina gave birth girl, named domitia faustina. first of @ least fourteen children (including 2 sets of twins) bear on next twenty-three years. next day, 1 december, pius gave marcus tribunician power , imperium—authority on armies , provinces of emperor. tribune, marcus had right bring 1 measure before senate after 4 pius introduce. tribunican powers renewed, pius , on 10 december 147.

bust of marcus aurelius young man, c. 150 ad, venice national archaeological museum

the first mention of domitia in marcus letters reveals sickly infant. caesar fronto. if gods willing seem have hope of recovery. diarrhoea has stopped, little attacks of fever have been driven away. emaciation still extreme , there still quite bit of coughing. , faustina, marcus wrote, had been pretty occupied girl s care. domitia die in 151.

in 149, faustina gave birth again, twin sons. contemporary coinage commemorates event, crossed cornucopiae beneath portrait busts of 2 small boys, , legend temporum felicitas, happiness of times . did not survive long. before end of year, family coin issued: shows tiny girl, domitia faustina, , 1 baby boy. another: girl alone. infants buried in mausoleum of hadrian, epitaphs survive. called titus aurelius antoninus , tiberius aelius aurelius.

marcus steadied himself: 1 man prays: how may not lose little child , must pray: how may not afraid lose him . quoted iliad called briefest , familiar saying...enough dispel sorrow , fear :

– iliad 6.146

another daughter born on 7 march 150, annia aurelia galeria lucilla. @ time between 155 , 161, after 155, marcus mother, domitia lucilla, died. faustina had daughter in 151, child, annia galeria aurelia faustina, might not have been born until 153. son, tiberius aelius antoninus, born in 152. coin issue celebrates fecunditati augustae, augusta s fertility , depicting 2 girls , infant. boy did not survive long; on coins 156, 2 girls depicted. might have died in 152, same year marcus sister, cornificia. son born in late 150s. synod of temple of dionysius @ smyrna sent marcus letter of congratulations. 28 march 158, however, when marcus replied, child dead. marcus thanked temple synod, though turned out otherwise . child s name unknown. in 159 , 160, faustina gave birth daughters: fadilla, after 1 of faustina dead sisters, , cornificia, after marcus dead sister.