Lucius Verus - Toronto, Ontario
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 43° 40.070 W 079° 23.643
17T E 629472 N 4836233
This bust of the Roman Emperor Lucius Verus is located in the Royal Ontario Museum.
Waymark Code: WMEZQ2
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 07/29/2012
Views: 4
This larger than life-sized marble bust of Roman Emperor Lucius Verus is located in Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum which has an extensive collection of pieces and artifacts from the Roman Empire.
The work depicts the Emperor as a rather young man with a full face, curly hair and a curly beard. He is cloaked in a toga. A very similar depiction of the Emperor Septimius Severus is nearby.
The English portion of the Museum's accompanying placard reads:
"CO-EMPEROR LUCIUS VERUS
(ruled AD 161-169)
Lucius Verus was adopted by the Emperor Antoninus Pius
and served as co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, whose daughter he
married. This magnificent example of imperial portraiture depicts the
Emperor as an all-powerful dignified ruler. Note the extensive use of
the drill to create his hair and beard."
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us that Lucius Verus "...(130 – 169), was Roman co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, from 161 until his death...
Lucius Verus was the first born son to Avidia Plautia and Lucius Aelius Verus Caesar, the first adopted son and heir of Roman Emperor Hadrian (76–138). He was born and raised in Rome. Verus had another brother Gaius Avidius Ceionius Commodus and two sisters Ceionia Fabia and Ceionia Plautia. His maternal grandparents were the Roman Senator Gaius Avidius Nigrinus and the unattested noblewoman Ignota Plautia. Although his adoptive paternal grandparents were the Roman Emperor Hadrian and Roman Empress Vibia Sabina, his biological paternal grandparents were the consul Lucius Ceionius Commodus and noblewoman Aelia or Fundania Plautia.
When his father died in early 138, Hadrian chose Antoninus Pius (86–161) as his successor. Antoninus was adopted by Hadrian on the condition that Verus and Hadrian’s great-nephew Marcus Aurelius was to be adopted by Antoninus as his sons and heirs.
As a prince and future emperor Verus, received careful education from the famous “grammaticus” Marcus Cornelius Fronto. He was reported to have been an excellent student, fond of writing poetry and delivering speeches. Verus started his political career as a quaestor in 153, became consul in 154, and in 161 was consul again with Marcus Aurelius as his senior partner."