Marcus Aurelius: A LifeMarcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) is one of the great figures of antiquity who still speaks to us today, more than two thousand years after his death. His Meditations has been compared by John Stuart Mill to the Sermon on the Mount. A guide to how we should live, it remains one of the most widely read books from the classical world. But Marcus Aurelius was much more than a philosopher. As emperor he stabilized the empire, issued numerous reform edicts, and defended the borders with success. His life itself represented the fulfillment of Plato's famous dictum that mankind will prosper only when philosophers are rulers and rulers philosophers. Frank McLynn's Marcus Aurelius, based on all available original sources, is the definitive and most vivid biography to date of this monumental historical figure. |
Contents
9 | 204 |
10 | 226 |
11 | 256 |
12 | 280 |
13 | 308 |
14 | 336 |
15 | 370 |
16 | 394 |
17 | 420 |
18 | 452 |
19 | 494 |
Stoicism | 538 |
the reign of Antoninus Pius | 555 |
Solitude | 565 |
Bibliography | 568 |
Notes | 570 |
Index | 673 |
Front Matter | i |
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Common terms and phrases
Aelius Africa Alexander Alföldy ancient Antonine plague Antoninus Pius Antoninus’s Armenia Augustus Aurelius’s Avidius Cassius Caesar campaign Cassius Dio Christians claimed Claudius Commodus Commodus’s consul Dacia Danube death doctrine dream East elite emperor Epictetus Epictetus’s equestrian evil famous father Faustina favour favourite freedmen frontier Fronto Galen German gods governor Greek Hadrian Haines Herodes Atticus Herodian human Iazyges ibid idea imperial Italy Justin king later legions live Lucian Lucilla Lucius Verus Marcomanni Marcus Aurelius Marcus’s Meditations Meds military modern Moesia moral Nature Nero never one’s pagan Pannonia Parthian person Pertinax philosopher plague Pliny political Pompeianus praetorian prefect proconsul provinces Quadi reason reign religion Roman Army Roman empire Rome Rome’s ruler Rusticus second century seems Senate senatorial Seneca sesterces Severus simply slaves social Stoic Stoicism Syme Syria Tacitus Tertullian things thought tion took trade Trajan tribes Verus’s