Marcus Annius Libo
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Marcus Annius Libo or Annius Libo (Greek: Μαρκου Αννιου Λιβωνος, died 162) was a Roman who lived in the 2nd century. He was the second child and first son to Roman consul Marcus Annius Verus and Rupilia Faustina.
Libo’s father was Spanish, but was of Roman descent and came from a senatorial family and his mother was a daughter to Salonina Matidia from her second marriage to Roman consul Lucius Scribonius Libo Rupilio Frugi or Bonus. He is partly named after his father and paternal grandfather and his third name Libo, is from the name of his maternal grandfather.
His maternal grandmother was a niece to Emperor Trajan. His maternal aunt was Empress Vibia Sabina. Libo’s elder sister was Empress Faustina the Elder (mother of Empress Faustina the Younger) and his younger brother Marcus Annius Verus, was the father of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and paternal grandfather to Emperor Commodus.
Libo was consul in 128. In the year of his consulship, a marriage contract was written in Greek and Aramaic on papyrus. His name is mentioned, as the marriage happened in his consulship. This papyrus was dated 4 April 128 and was found in 1961 Naham Hever in the Desert of Judea.
He married a woman called Fundania. Their children were:
- Son, Marcus Annius Libo or Marcus Annius Sabinus Libo became consul in 204.
- Daughter, Annia Fundania Faustina. Faustina married Tiberius Pomponius Proculus Vitrasius Pollio who in 157 became Roman Governor of Lower Moesia. Their children were a son Tiberius Fundanius Vitrasius Pollio and a daughter Vitrasia Faustina.
During the reign of his brother-in-law, Emperor Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-161), named Libo in a Senatus Consultum (see, Senatus consultum ultimum) and became a senator.
In 162, Libo was Legatus of Syria. His nephew Emperor Marcus Aurelius appointed him to this. In that year the joint Emperor with Aurelius Lucius Verus, was in Syria as apart of the Parthian Military Campaign. Libo died suddenly, possibly from poisoning. There were rumours, that the joined emperors were involved in his death. The suspicions were further strengthened due to the dissensions between Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus.
Against the wishes of Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus married Aurelius’ aunt Fundania to another man. Marcus Aurelius did not attend the ceremony or the banquet.
