All those books talk about is the remarkable achievements of men.
While Marcus Aurelius and Augustus have plenty of words of wisdom attributed to them they most likely had someone write their speeches for them like the politicians of today. For people that weren't allowed to speak publicly, vote, or even own their last names these ladies ruled pretty hard. Imagine if we taxed women and men differently these days! While men were taking baths, having toga parties, and watching people wrestle, the ladies were raising the future emperors, holding the purse strings, and whispering into the ears of politicians to make their vision of the country they wanted to live in a reality.