Dinastia degli Antonini

This canvas print celebrates one of the brightest seasons of the Roman Empire: the Antonine dynasty, reconstructed through authoritative sources and transformed into imagery to recount an age of stability, culture, and good governance.

The Domus Antoniniana takes shape here as a dynastic journey that, from Hadrian, leads to Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus, spanning nearly a century of imperial history.

The narrative begins with Hadrian, a cultivated ruler attentive to political continuity. After the death of his designated heir, Aelius Caesar, he chose as successor Titus Aurelius Antoninus, a balanced and respected man who had already served as proconsul of Asia. Upon his accession in 138, the Senate granted him the title Pius, acknowledging his loyalty and continuity with his predecessor. His long reign ensured internal peace and prosperity, while he carefully prepared the succession by adopting his son‑in‑law Marcus Aurelius.

Marcus, educated in a refined and bilingual environment, was both emperor and philosopher. His Meditations, written in Greek, reflect an ideal of rule grounded in moral discipline. Upon the death of Antoninus Pius in 161, Marcus Aurelius shared power with Lucius Verus, establishing a diarchy: Lucius was entrusted with the campaigns in Parthia, Media, and Armenia, while Marcus remained in Rome to govern the empire. Lucius’ death in 169 returned Marcus to sole rule.

The following years were marked by long and difficult wars along the Danube against the Quadi, Marcomanni, and Sarmatian Iazyges, while the plague weakened the empire. In 177 he elevated his son Commodus to co‑emperor, following the rebellion of Avidius Cassius. Upon Marcus’ death in 180, Commodus inherited an empire still solid, though his own reign ended tragically with a conspiracy in 192.

Despite the tensions, the age of the Antonines was remembered as a golden era, a symbol of balance and prosperity. This canvas restores its grandeur, transforming the history of the Domus Antoniniana into a work that celebrates a dynasty fundamental to Rome and to the Western world.

ATTENTION!

DOES NOT INCLUDE FRAME.

DOES NOT INCLUDE WOODEN FRAME.