Does Marcus Matter?
Was the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius a serious philosopher... or just a glorified diarist?
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius has become extremely popular - practically a household name - as the face of Stoicism and the closest thing we’ve ever had to a ‘philosopher king’.
But is this true? Was he truly a wise warrior? Are his Meditations the ground breaking guide to philosophical inquiry that they are made out to be?
Have his insights humanized the ancient Greek philosophical school and helped usher in a new generation of Stoics... or are we projecting our ideal on a very imperfect man?
Essentially, what relevance does this Roman Emperor have today? Does Marcus Matter?
Watch some of the world’s leading experts who have written, translated and discussed this pivotal historical figure to explore what we can truly learn from Marcus Aurelius’ life and works.
We delve into his biography, his influences, debate his commitment to philosophy as well as his legacy in order to discover: Was he a serious philosopher... or just a glorified diarist?
Enjoy the full discussion here:
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom
I signed up immediately! You had me at "hello" (or in this case, "Marcus Aurelius")!
Have his insights humanized the ancient Greek philosophical school and helped usher in a new generation of Stoics... or are we projecting our ideal on a very imperfect man?
An empathetic yes! He is both and neither. I'm also in disagreement with "very" imperfect.