The Northern Wars

THE FUNERAL CEREMONIES of Lucius had to be performed immediately Marcus returned to Rome. Marcus made generous provision for the support of Lucius’ sisters, aunts, other relatives and freedmen. Lucius himself was deified under the name of Divus Verus. The worship of the new god in the Roman pantheon was conducted by the priesthood of Antoninus Pius, whose members (or some of them) now became sodales Antoniniani Veriani. This emphasized the unity of the family. It also saved trouble and expense. No separate temple is known to have been built for Divus Verus. The rites of commemoration in his honour were no doubt conducted in the temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Inscriptions record several men, who, already priests of Antoninus, became priests of Verus too. One was the friend of Marcus, Aufidius Victorinus. Another was M. Nonius Macrinus, who describes himself as ‘chosen out of the closest friends’. He was from northern Italy, as were the Ceionii, Lucius’ original family, and he had been consul in 154, the same year as the much younger Lucius. The following year, 170, Macrinus was to go to Asia as proconsul, but he was probably present at the deification ceremonies at Rome in early 169. ¹