to his generals. This Parthian war ended in A.D. 165. Aurelius and Verus
had a triumph (A.D. 166) for the victories in the East. A pestilence
followed, which carried off great numbers in Rome and Italy, and spread
to the west of Europe.

The north of Italy was also threatened by the rude people beyond the Alps
from the borders of Gallia to the eastern side of the Hadriatic. These
barbarians attempted to break into Italy, as the Germanic nations had
attempted near three hundred years before; and the rest of the life of
Antoninus, with some intervals, was employed in driving back the
invaders. In A.D. 169 Verus suddenly died, and Antoninus administered the
state alone.

During the German wars Antoninus resided for three years on the Danube at
Carnuntum. The Marcomanni were driven out of Pannonia and almost
destroyed in their retreat across the Danube; and in A.D. 174 the emperor
gained a great victory over the Quadi.

In A.D. 175, Avidius Cassius, a brave and skilful Roman commander who was
at the head of the troops in Asia, revolted and declared himself
Augustus. But Cassius was assassinated by some of his officers, and so
the rebellion came to an end. Antoninus showed his humanity by his
treatment of the family and the partisans of Cassius; and his letter to
the Senate, in which he recommends mercy, is extant.

Antoninus set out for the East on hearing of Cassius' revolt. Though he
appears to have returned to Rome in A.D. 174, he went back to prosecute
the war against the Germans, and it is probable that he marched direct to
the East from the German war. His wife Faustina, who accompanied him into
Asia, died suddenly at the foot of the Taurus, to the great grief of her