Antonine

Antonine is an adjective and noun derived from Antoninus, used in historical and cultural contexts to refer to people, events, and things associated with that name. In Roman history, the term most commonly denotes the era of the Antonine dynasty and its rulers, as well as related art and architecture. The name also appears in the designation of a major frontier work in Britain, the Antonine Wall.

In Roman imperial history, the Nerva–Antonine dynasty governed from 96 to 192 CE and is often cited as the period of the Five Good Emperors. The line includes Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, whose reigns were marked by relative peace, consolidation of frontiers, and administrative stability. The term Antonine is used to describe their era, the policies of adoptive succession, and the stylistic traits of the time.

The Antonine Wall is a Roman frontier fortification across Scotland, built under Emperor Antoninus Pius around 142 CE. It runs roughly 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde and was garrisoned by auxiliary units. It served as a northern boundary for Roman Britain for about a century before the legions withdrew to the Hadrian’s Wall area.

Antonine is also a given name or surname in various cultures, most often in French-speaking settings. In scholarship, the term is used to refer to the art, architecture, and urban planning of the Antonine period, which shows continued classical forms with distinctive provincial adaptations.