Sharing the title of Augustus with his brother Marcus Aurelius, history records Verus in a less-than-glowing light.

Although an intelligent and handsome man, he didn’t seem much interested in political or military affairs.

Going through the motions, he followed his war generals who did the dirty work while it was noted he enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle on the road complete with a traveling theater and frequent banquets to entertain him.

It was on the return of one of these battles that he died after a stroke. Consensus holds that his greatest accomplishment was, unflatteringly enough, that he delegated administrative duties to his much more capable brother.