What Marcus Aurelius Teaches Us About Staying Strong

What Marcus Aurelius Teaches us About Staying Strong

Perhaps you’ve heard of Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism. Maybe you’ve seen Meditations on someone’s bookshelf. Or perhaps a quote has popped up on your social media feed. This introduction to Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism aims to demystify the philosophy and its impact on one of history’s most remarkable figures, the Roman Emperor.

A Deeper Dive into Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism

Marcus Aurelius wasn’t just a Roman emperor; he was a stoic philosopher-king. His reign, from 161 to 180 CE, was turbulent. He contended with wars against the Parthian Empire, barbarian tribes threatening the northern border, the devastating Antonine Plague, and the rise of Christianity. Amidst this chaos, his adoptive father Antoninus Pius’s teachings on Stoicism served as his guiding principle.

The Roots of Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism

Marcus Aurelius wholly embraced Stoic principles passed down through his mentors. In his Meditations, he expresses gratitude to his teacher, Junius Rusticus, for introducing him to this life-changing philosophy and the wisdom of Epictetus. The impact of Heraclitus, a major influence on Stoic thought, is evident throughout Meditations. Interestingly, given the literary landscape of his era, Marcus Aurelius was likely unfamiliar with Seneca’s works.

Seneca is considered one of the three most important Stoics along with Epictetus. The adoptive father, Antoninus Pius, also greatly impacted Aurelius.

Education and Mentorship

Marcus Aurelius’s education played a pivotal role in shaping his philosophical leanings and stoicism. He learned from renowned figures such as Herodes Atticus (a rhetorician from Athens) and Marcus Cornelius Fronto (his Latin instructor). His Meditations, written in Greek, reveal his intellectual depth.

Surviving letters between Marcus Aurelius and Fronto offer insights into their dynamic relationship and intellectual exchange. This rigorous upbringing, influenced by figures like Lucius Verus, exposed him to the foundations of Stoic ideals. It instilled in him values that would govern his days as emperor.

Core Tenets of Marcus Aurelius’ Stoic Practice

What did Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism entail in daily practice? For Marcus Aurelius, Stoicism revolved around living virtuously. It focused on controlling his emotions, and understanding that only virtue and vice had real value. Everything else — wealth, health, reputation — were “indifferents.”
These were aspects of life neither intrinsically good nor bad. This belief allowed him to face life’s challenges and endure adversity with equanimity, particularly important amidst the Antonine Plague and threats from Cassius Dio.

Stoic Principle	Marcus Aurelius’s Application
Virtue as the Only Good	Prioritized justice, wisdom, courage, and temperance in his decisions as emperor.
Control of Emotions	Utilized Stoic practices to manage his reactions to outer events like wars and plagues.
Indifference to Externals	Viewed wealth, health, and reputation as neither good nor bad, enabling him to withstand hardship.

The Enduring Legacy of Meditations

Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations stands as a powerful testament to his Stoic philosophy and leadership style. The diary’s unique quality offers profound insight into his thoughts. Scholars have noted the tragic irony of how Marcus’s successors, including his son Commodus, failed to live up to his ideals.
His strong principles focused on self-control and social responsibility. Meditations transcends its historical context, influencing leaders, writers, and thinkers for centuries. From statesmen like Theodore Roosevelt, Wen Jiabao, and Bill Clinton to authors like Ambrose Bierce and Robert Louis Stevenson, its wisdom resonates.

Its power to affect deep change makes it highly significant. Philosophers like John Stuart Mill regard it as one of the greatest outputs from Antiquity. Readers interested in a modern interpretation might find value in books like The Obstacle Is the Way, which shares common Stoic themes. Further explorations might include Pierre Hadot’s works on Marcus Aurelius, such as The Inner Citadel and Philosophy as a Way of Life.

Conclusion

Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism stands as a timeless testament to the practical application of Stoicism’s core principles. These tenets included living virtuously, controlling one’s emotions, and navigating external hardships. His Meditations continues to inspire readers today, inviting all who pick up this remarkable personal document into the world of Marcus Aurelius’ Stoicism for centuries to come.