AD 121-180 · Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, author of the Meditations
Posthumous or imagined likeness of Marcus Aurelius. Source · CC BY 2.5
About Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121–180 CE) was Roman emperor from 161 until his death, the last of the 'Five Good Emperors'. Adopted into the imperial family by Antoninus Pius, he was trained in rhetoric by Fronto and drawn to Stoic philosophy, especially Epictetus. His reign was dominated by wars on the Danube frontier and the Antonine Plague, and his personal physician was Galen. He died on campaign, probably near Vindobona or Sirmium.
The Meditations, which Marcus Aurelius may have titled simply 'To Himself', is a private notebook of philosophical reflections written in Greek, probably during his military campaigns on the Danube in the 170s CE. It was not intended for publication and consists of twelve books of entries ranging from single sentences to short essays, often repeated and varied as exercises to fix principles in the mind.
