Antoninus Pius is often referred to as one of the ‘Five Good Emperors’ of ancient Rome, so called for reigning during the Roman Empire’s most powerful and influential period. While his predicessors, Trajan and Hadrian, were military leaders, Antoninus was an anomaly — a quiet and sensitive man, he avoided all forms of military service, and while skermishes occasionally marred the empire, Antoninus’s 23-year reign was the most peaceful time in Rome’s history. Even more unusual, Antoninus was a devout family man. In his late 20’s Antoninus the daughter of a Roman politician named Annia Galeria Faustina, with whom he raised four children.
