Marcus Aurelius (26 April 121 17 March 180 A.D.) was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180, ruling jointly with Lucius Verus until Verus' death in 169 and jointly with his son, Commodus, from 177. He was the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. While on campaign between 170 and 180, Aurelius wrote his Meditations in Greek as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. The original title of this work, if it had one, is unknown. "Meditations" as well as others, including "To Himself" were adopted later. He had a logical mind and his notes were representative of Stoic philosophy and spirituality. Meditations is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty. The book was a favorite of Frederick the Great, John Mill Stuart, Matthew Arnold, and Goethe. Modern figures such as Wen Jiabao, Bill Clinton, and James Mattis are admirers of the book. During his reign, the Roman Empire defeated a Parthian Empire in the east: Aurelius' general Avidius Cassius sacked the capital Ctesiphon in 164. In central Europe, Aurelius fought the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians with success during the Marcomannic wars, the threat of the Germanic peoples began to represent a troubling reality for the empire. A revolt in the east led by Cassius Avidius failed to gain momentum and was suppressed immediately. persecution of Christians increased during his reign. His death in 180 is considered the end of the Pax Romana and the increasing instability in the west that followed the beginning of the eventual Fall of the Western Roman Empire.