A01=William O. Stephens
ancient history
antiquity
Author_William O. Stephens
Category=DNBH
Category=NHDA
Category=QDHA
christianity
christians
Commodus
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
general
Meditation
Memoranda
pagan
pandemic
philosophy
plague
Roman
Rome
Stoic
Stoicism
war
Product details
- ISBN 9781836391166
- Dimensions: 138 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 13 Oct 2025
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
Secure
checkout
Fast Shipping
Easy returns
This book guides us through the fascinating life and writings of Marcus Aurelius, the only Roman emperor celebrated for centuries for his decency and earnest Stoic philosophy. Philosopher William O. Stephens explores Marcus’ reluctant rise to power, his marriage and his efforts to mould his son into a successor. He examines Marcus’ Stoic tenets as he describes the struggles of dealing with a fifteen-year pandemic, the betrayal of a trusted general, social upheaval centred on a new ‘superstition’ – Christianity – and how Marcus’ determination to stabilize the empire’s borders met with strife, broken treaties and protracted wars. This gripping narrative of Marcus’ life, times and thought, as well as his complex legacy, will appeal to all those interested in Roman history as well as to aspiring Stoics.
William O. Stephens is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Creighton University. His books include Epictetus’s Encheiridion: A New Translation and Guide to Stoic Ethics (with Scott Aikin, 2023) and Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed (2012).
