Marcus Aurelius and Christian Persecutions: Friend or Foe?

Summary

This video explores the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. It reflects on whether Marcus Aurelius was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, referencing historical accounts, such as those from Eusebius. The discussion highlights parallels between Stoic teachings and Christian values, but also touches on the sporadic persecution of Christians during his reign. The video also covers his philosophical work, *Meditations*, and the historical context of his reign, including his son Commodus, offering a balanced look at this philosopher-king’s legacy.

Takeaways

• 📚 Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, is often seen as a philosopher-king, echoing Plato's ideal.
• 🛡️ A key question about Marcus Aurelius is whether he was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, a debate that dates back to early Christian historians like Eusebius.
• 🔍 Eusebius, a church historian, provides accounts that suggest Marcus Aurelius may have overseen Christian persecutions, yet also acknowledges a miraculous event where Christian soldiers' prayers supposedly aided a Roman victory.
• 🗡️ Although Marcus Aurelius is associated with the persecution of Christians, some early Christians admired his Stoic teachings, which often reflected Christian-like values such as love and forgiveness.
• 📜 Despite his Stoic beliefs, Marcus Aurelius expressed critical views on the Christian doctrine of resurrection, which highlights his potential disconnect with Christian ideology.
• 🤔 Modern scholars continue to debate whether Marcus Aurelius was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, with some suggesting that his actions were motivated by a sense of duty rather than malice.
• 👑 Marcus Aurelius was the last of the 'good' Roman emperors, but his legacy was marred by his son Commodus, whose rule was marked by vice and incompetence, leading to Rome's decline.
• 📖 The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, a key Stoic text, is widely read and admired for its philosophical insights, despite the controversies surrounding the emperor's actions.
• 🎓 Scholars and historians like Henry Chadwick and Walter Kaufmann have explored the paradox of Marcus Aurelius' wisdom and his possible role in Christian persecutions.
• 📚 The script references various historical and philosophical sources, including works by Eusebius, Henry Chadwick, and the Meditations, offering a broad view of Marcus Aurelius' impact and legacy.

Q & A

Who is Marcus Aurelius and why is he significant?

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and a Stoic philosopher, known for his work 'Meditations,' which reflects Stoic philosophy. He is significant because he is considered one of the 'Five Good Emperors' of Rome and his reign was marked by his philosophical approach to governance and personal life.

What is the main dilemma regarding Marcus Aurelius' relationship with Christians?

The main dilemma is whether Marcus Aurelius was a persecutor or a friend of Christians. Despite his Stoic philosophy in 'Meditations' aligning with some Christian teachings, he is also known for possibly overseeing the brutal persecution of Christians.

What is the connection between Marcus Aurelius' Stoic philosophy and Christian teachings?

Marcus Aurelius' Stoic philosophy in 'Meditations' shares similarities with Christian teachings, such as the emphasis on love for mankind, forgiveness, and the idea that sin is a form of ignorance. These parallels have led to discussions about his stance on Christianity.

Who was Eusebius and why is he relevant to the discussion about Marcus Aurelius?

Eusebius was a renowned church historian during the time of the first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. He is relevant because he questioned whether Marcus Aurelius was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, providing historical context and analysis on the issue.

What is the historical context of the Roman Empire during Marcus Aurelius' reign?

Marcus Aurelius' reign was marked by military conflicts, particularly with the Germanic tribes. He spent more time on the battlefield than in Rome, which may have influenced his involvement in the persecution of Christians.

What was the general attitude towards Christians in the Roman Empire during Marcus Aurelius' time?

There was no systematic persecution of Christians across the Roman Empire during Marcus Aurelius' reign. The treatment of Christians varied depending on the attitudes of local officials and governors, with some showing sympathy and others hostility.

What is the significance of the correspondence between Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan?

The correspondence is significant because it provides a rare example of preserved communication between a provincial governor and the emperor regarding the treatment of Christians. It shows the legal and moral dilemmas faced by officials in dealing with Christians.

What are some examples of similarities between Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations' and Christian teachings?

Some similarities include the emphasis on loving mankind, forgiving those who err, and the belief that sin stems from ignorance. These concepts are found in both 'Meditations' and in the Pauline epistles and the Gospels.

What is the historical debate about Marcus Aurelius' role in the persecution of Christians?

Historians debate whether Marcus Aurelius personally ordered the persecution of Christians. Some accounts suggest he did, while others argue that he was more focused on military campaigns and may not have been directly involved.

How did Marcus Aurelius' son, Commodus, impact the Roman Empire and the legacy of his father?

Commodus, known for his irresponsible and cruel behavior, is believed to have led to a decline in the Roman Empire's stability after Marcus Aurelius' death. His reign marked a departure from his father's Stoic principles and contributed to a period of instability.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to Marcus Aurelius and Stoicism

This paragraph introduces the video's focus on Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. It raises the question of whether he was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, a dilemma that has historical and philosophical implications. The paragraph also mentions Eusebius, a church historian, who pondered the same question during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. The video aims to explore this through Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations,' which contains Stoic philosophies that resonate with Christian teachings. The paragraph sets the stage for a historical and philosophical discussion by providing context on the life of Marcus Aurelius and the broader historical backdrop of Roman emperors and philosophers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Saint Paul.

05:01

🏛️ The Dilemma of Marcus Aurelius's Role in Christian Persecution

The second paragraph delves into the historical context of Christian persecution during the Roman Empire, highlighting the sporadic nature of these persecutions and the varying attitudes of provincial governors. It contrasts the brutal persecution under Nero with the more systematic approach under Emperor Diocletian. The paragraph also discusses the correspondence between Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan, which provides insight into the legal procedures followed during the persecution of Christians. It further explores Eusebius's account of Marcus Aurelius's reign, which includes both the persecution of Christians and a miraculous intervention by God that aided the Roman army. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the complexity of Marcus Aurelius's relationship with Christianity, suggesting that while he may have overseen persecutions, he also demonstrated a sense of duty and possibly a reluctant involvement in such actions.

10:03

📜 The Paradox of Marcus Aurelius's Views on Christianity

This paragraph examines the paradoxical nature of Marcus Aurelius's views on Christianity. It discusses the emperor's critical perspective on the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body, as expressed in his 'Meditations.' The paragraph contrasts this with the beliefs of ancient Christians and the teachings of Saint Paul. It also mentions the account of an epistle attributed to Marcus Aurelius, which describes a miracle during a military campaign where he sought the prayers of Christian soldiers. The paragraph highlights the scholarly debate about the historical accuracy of Eusebius's accounts and the possibility that some early Christians wanted to view Marcus Aurelius as a friend, despite his role in the persecution of their faith. It concludes by noting the complexity of Marcus Aurelius's character, as seen through the eyes of modern scholars and historical figures like Henry Chadwick and Walter Kaufman.

15:05

🛡️ The Legacy of Marcus Aurelius and the Fall of the Roman Empire

The final paragraph discusses the legacy of Marcus Aurelius, particularly his choice of his son Commodus as his successor, which is considered a significant factor in the decline of the Roman Empire. It contrasts the virtues of Marcus Aurelius with the vices of Commodus, who is likened to the infamous Emperor Nero. The paragraph also touches on the rumors about Commodus's true parentage and the political instability that followed Marcus Aurelius's death. Additionally, it provides recommendations for further reading, including the 'Meditations' of Marcus Aurelius, lectures by Rufus Fears, and historical accounts by Eusebius and Henry Chadwick. The paragraph concludes by inviting viewers to explore related content on Greek and Roman philosophers, emphasizing the video's aim to broaden knowledge and provide a deeper understanding of Stoicism and its historical context.

Keywords

💡Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and a Stoic philosopher, known for his work 'Meditations.' In the video, he is discussed as a potential 'philosopher king' as described by Plato, reflecting on his complex relationship with Christians. The script explores whether he was a persecutor or a friend to Christians, given the Stoic philosophy in his writings and the historical accounts of Christian persecution during his reign.

💡Stoicism

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that teaches the development of self-control and fortitude to overcome destructive emotions. The video connects Marcus Aurelius's Stoic philosophy with Christian teachings, noting similarities in values such as love for mankind and the concept of sin as ignorance. The script also discusses how Stoic ideas might have influenced or conflicted with early Christian beliefs.

💡Christian Persecution

Christian persecution refers to the historical mistreatment of Christians for their faith. The video script delves into the question of Marcus Aurelius's role in the persecution, contrasting his Stoic philosophy, which advocates for love and understanding, with the violent actions attributed to him. It mentions the sporadic nature of these persecutions and the varying degrees of hostility from different Roman officials.

💡Eusebius

Eusebius was a renowned church historian who lived during the time of the first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great. In the video, Eusebius's 'Ecclesiastical History' is cited as a significant source for understanding Marcus Aurelius's stance on Christians. The script highlights Eusebius's account of Christian persecutions and a miracle that occurred during Marcus Aurelius's reign, which complicates the emperor's image.

💡Meditations

The 'Meditations' is a personal diary and series of Stoic reflections written by Marcus Aurelius. The video script uses excerpts from this work to illustrate the philosophical dilemma of Marcus Aurelius's relationship with Christianity. It points out how some of his thoughts align with Christian teachings, such as the idea of loving mankind and the concept of sin as ignorance.

💡Resurrection

Resurrection, particularly the physical resurrection of the body, is a central tenet of Christian belief. The video script notes Marcus Aurelius's skepticism about the resurrection in his 'Meditations,' which contrasts with the firm belief in physical resurrection held by ancient Christians. This skepticism is used to argue that Marcus Aurelius may not have been entirely sympathetic to Christian beliefs.

💡Good Roman Emperors

The term 'Good Roman Emperors' refers to a period in Roman history known as the Pax Romana, where a series of emperors ruled with relative peace and prosperity. Marcus Aurelius is considered one of these 'Five Good Emperors.' The video script discusses the historical context of his reign and how it relates to the broader narrative of Roman emperors and their treatment of Christians.

💡Commodus

Commodus was the son of Marcus Aurelius and succeeded him as emperor. The video script suggests that Commodus's reign was marked by instability and a departure from his father's Stoic virtues. It raises the question of Marcus Aurelius's choice in succession, hinting at the potential negative impact of Commodus's rule on the legacy of the 'Good Roman Emperors.'

💡Philosopher King

The concept of a 'philosopher king' comes from Plato's 'Republic,' where he describes an ideal ruler who is also a philosopher. The video script uses this term to frame Marcus Aurelius as a ruler guided by philosophical principles, particularly Stoicism. It explores the paradox of a ruler with philosophical leanings towards virtue and wisdom who may have overseen persecutions.

💡Cynic and Stoic Philosophers

Cynicism and Stoicism were two of the main philosophical schools in ancient Greece and Rome. The video script mentions these schools in the context of Marcus Aurelius's philosophical influences, particularly Stoicism, and contrasts them with the teachings and practices of early Christians. It also refers to other philosophers like Seneca and Epictetus, who were influential Stoics.

Highlights

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, often considered a 'philosopher king' as described by Plato.

The video explores whether Marcus Aurelius was a persecutor or a friend of Christians, a question also pondered by Eusebius, a church historian.

Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations' contain Stoic philosophies that reflect Christian teachings, causing a dilemma for those inspired by Stoicism.

Examples of similarities between 'Meditations' and Christian teachings include quotes on loving mankind, forgiving sinners, and understanding sin as ignorance.

The video discusses the historical context of Marcus Aurelius's reign, including his admiration for Stoic philosophers like Epictetus and Seneca.

It is speculated that Marcus Aurelius may not have read the works of Saint Paul, which could explain his stance on Christians.

The video reviews the history of Christian persecutions in the Roman Empire, noting that there was no systematic persecution until Emperor Diocletian.

The persecution of Christians was sporadic and depended on the attitudes of provincial governors and local officials.

A series of letters between Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan provides insight into the legal procedures regarding Christians during that era.

Eusebius's 'Ecclesiastical History' is a key source for understanding Marcus Aurelius's relationship with Christians.

Eusebius recounts a miracle where Christian soldiers' prayers led to a victory for Marcus Aurelius's army.

Some early Christians wanted to view Marcus Aurelius as a friend and recognized the wisdom in his teachings.

Marcus Aurelius's own writings, however, suggest a critical view of the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body.

Modern scholars are divided on whether Marcus Aurelius was a friend or foe of Christians, with some suggesting he sanctioned persecution for state reasons.

The video mentions the influence of Marcus Aurelius's son, Commodus, whose reign was marked by instability and contrasted sharply with his father's.

The video concludes by discussing various sources used, including 'Meditations', 'Ecclesiastical History', and modern histories by scholars like Henry Chadwick.

Transcripts

today we will learn

and reflect on the life and history of

one of the good roman emperors and stoic

philosopher

who was perhaps a philosopher king as

described by plato

this is the emperor marcus aurelius

in particular in this video we will

reflect on the important question

of whether marcus aurelius was a

persecutor

or a friend of christians which is an

important question asked by

those of us who find inspiration and

stoicism and in the ancient world and in

particular

this was a question also asked by

eusebius

who was a renowned church historian in

the time of the

first christian emperor constancine the

great

so we have a real dilemma of this roman

emperor

who likely oversaw the brutal

persecution of christians but whose

stoic

main work his meditations offers a stoic

philosophy

that reflects many of the christian

teachings both in the pauline epistles

and the gospels

to provide some examples of this dilemma

these are some quotations from the

meditation

selected in the copleston history of

philosophy

and this is some of the quotations from

meditations love mankind

follow god which is very close to love

god and love your neighbor

it is man's special gift to love even

those who fall into blunders

that sin is ignorance and unintentional

that in a little while we shall both be

dead and above all

no injury has been done to us our inner

self is not made worse than it was

before

this last quote is quite similar to the

section of the early christian prayer of

saint ephram the syrian

yes o lord and king grant me to sing my

own faults and to not judge my brother

since you are blessed to the ages of

ages

we have another video sharing many of

the stoic things from marcus

aurelius's work the meditations and at

the end of our talk we will discuss

the sources we use for this video and my

blogs that also cover this topic

please we welcome interesting questions

in the comments sometimes these generate

short videos of their own let us learn

and reflect together

first we need to review the history and

timelines around the

time of emperor marcus aurelius

you can see that marcos aurelius

succeeded the generation that included

the previous well-known roman stoic

philosophers

seneca epictetus and rufus and also

saint paul

and also the emperor from a hundred

years previous nero

in his meditations marcus aurelius

expresses his admiration for the

philosophical works of

epictetus and it is very likely that he

read the works of seneca

we can presume that he never read the

actual epistles of paul

nor the gospels or else he may not have

been so quick to persecute the

christians

unfortunately the great uh roman

historians preceded marcus aurelius

there's really not any good first class

histories

or sources from the ancient world for

the life and reign of marcus aurelius so

we have to

piece it together from various sources

and we're uncertain of many of the

details

of his life and his reign and that

includes any role that he may have had

in persecuting the christians

going back into history we know that the

emperor hadrian one of the good emperors

wanted to guarantee a stable succession

and so he selected antonius pius to be

the next emperor

and he adopted him and his son and he

requested that

he in turn adopt marcus aurelius as his

son

to ensure this peaceful succession

to seal the succession marcus aurelius

married faustina

the daughter of antonius pius if her

name faustina seems prophetic it

certainly is prophetic

for she is indirectly responsible for

the decline

of the roman empire marcus aurelius

agreed to be emperor out of stark duty

he would have preferred to remain as a

philosopher during his reign the

germanic border

tribes were in rebellion and he was in

the field of battle more than he was in

rome during his reign which means that

he may not have been personally involved

in many of these

christian persecutions now let us fill

in some background in the history of the

persecutions themselves

there was never a thorough and

systematic

persecution of christians in the

entirety of the roman empire like there

was an orthodox russia

after the communist revolution emperor

nero briefly

and brutally persecuted the christians

we see this picture

of the christians in his garden on the

crosses lit up for his entertainment

uh nero blamed the christians for the

fire that burned down so much of rome

and but likely only the high-profile

christians were picked up

uh the brutality of nero no doubt caused

many romans to sympathize with the

christians so willing to die for their

faith and

probably provided a unwelcome precedent

that ensured at least sporadic

persecution of

christians in the following centuries

now there was not

a general persecution of christians

throughout the roman empire until

over 200 years later after nero under

emperor diocletian

but even then many provincial governors

were sympathetic to the christians they

were not

eager to execute those citizens whom

they saw as harmless

between these two emperors christians

were persecuted sporadically

the severity of the persecutions against

the christians depended on how hostile

the provincial governors and local

officials were against the christians

around the year 250 a.d we have a

remarkable series of letters

preserved between a provincial governor

plenty the younger and emperor trajan

which is doubly remarkable because we so

rarely have preserved

in antiquity both sides of any

correspondence

plenty asks trajan if he is following

the proper legal procedure

in his persecutions of the christians in

his province

he explains that he does not seek out

the christians but when there is a

complaint

he brings the christians before him and

if the christian shows reverence to the

ancestral god by sprinkling a little bit

of incense

before bust of the emperor he releases

them trajan's short reply to plenty says

that he's on the right path but he

had some caveats uh he gives four orders

don't seek out the christians for trial

but then he adds to this

a due process procedure that anonymous

accusations should not be considered at

all

also if the accused or guilty of being

christians then they must be punished

but if the accused deny they are

christians and show proof that they are

not worshiping the gods

then they must be pardoned now that we

have some general background of the

history of marcus aurelius and the roman

empire

we can further consider the question of

whether marcus aurelius is a friend

or a foe of christians by far our most

important source is the ecclesiastical

history or church history by

eusebius who was an important bishop

during the reign of the first christian

emperor constantine

like modern historians eusebius

considers that there is a strong

position

for the case that marcus aurelius did

persecute

personally the christians to some extent

but unlike

emperors like nero he would not have

enjoyed watching them perhaps he would

have watched them out of a sense of duty

susibius begins chapter 5 with a

detailed gruesome account of christians

being tortured and executed over periods

of many days during the reigns

of marcus aurelius but then eusebius

follows this with a remarkable account

of how god helped the soldiers of marcus

aurelius

defeat the enemy the germans with a

miracle

and this is a quote from eusebius while

his predecessor antonia's pious was

still on the throne

marcus aurelius faced the german tribes

in battle and his

soldiers and the melatine legion facing

the enemy

did a remarkable thing they knelt in

prayer and turned to god and

supplication

the enemy was astonished at the sight

and immediately a thunderbolt

drove the enemy to flight and

destruction while

rain fell on the army which had called

on the almighty

reviving the army when the entire force

was on the

point of perishing from thirst and he

says that they're truly in witnesses to

this miracle in his work titled apology

or

in defense of the faith but then

eusebius concludes

but everyone must make up his own mind

about such matters

in addition to these two sources there

is another ancient account

which likely refers to the same incident

appended to the first apology to the

emperor by saint justin the martyr who

was also martyred during the time of

marcus aurelius

he was a early christian philosopher he

has a curious work appended to this

an epistle the marcus aurelius to the

roman senate

in this epistle marcus aurelius recounts

a miracle

in a campaign where the roman army found

himself in desperate straits against the

germans

the emperor prayed to the pagan gods for

deliverance and when he learned that

many of his

soldiers were christians he asked that

they prayed to their god as well

this epistle tells of these christians

how when they began the battle

not by preparing weapons nor arms nor

bugles for such preparation

is hateful for them on account of their

god they bear about in their conscience

now we st justin the martyr was martyred

in rome when the pagan

cynic philosopher crescence agitated for

his execution

in this martyr account marcus aurelius

is not mentioned

there's likely no scholar today who

really thinks that marco cerrelius was

the author of this curious epistle

and many scholars can prove that some of

the history recounted by

eusebius is more myth and legends than

history

but whether or not these accounts are

historical

is not the point the main point is that

some early christians

wanted marcus aurelius to be a friend of

the christians

and they recognize the wisdom of his

stroke teachings

however unfortunately several quotes by

marcus aurelius himself

suggests that maybe he was not a friend

of the christians

and he has a critical view of the

resurrection of the body in book

four of the meditations if souls

continue to

to exist how does the air contain them

from eternity

marcus really then speculates that souls

eventually diffuse to make room for

other souls then he adds

we must not only think of the bodies

that are buried but also the animals

that are eaten by us and other animals

these animals that are consumed are also

buried in the bodies of those who feed

on them

and similarly when saint paul preaches

to the athenians in acts 17

it is a doctrine of the resurrection of

the dead that greeks have trouble

accepting and also this is referred to

in john 6 and i'd like to point out that

the modern christians have a somewhat of

a platonic sense that when we die

our spirit goes to heaven and our body

is buried in the earth

the ancient christians had a very firm

belief in the physical

resurrection of the body this

comment from the meditations suggests

that maybe marcus aurelius did

indeed witness some martyrdoms he says a

great soul is ready at any requisite

moment

to be separated from the body and then

to be extinguished or dispersed and

continue to exist

and this is a common theme in greek

philosophy

and the warrior culture in which they

existed the desire to

die the noble death but then this

readiness

must come from a man's own judgment and

not from mere obstinacy

as with the christians but considerably

in with great dignity and in a way to

persuade another without tragic show

and we would like to point out that many

bishops from the period discouraged

their flock from

volunteering for martyrdom perhaps they

agreed with marcus aurelius to some

extent

modern scholars have also puzzled about

this paradox of marcos aurelius whether

he is a friend or a foe

of the christians henry chadwick in his

history the early church

notes that marcus aurelius regarded

suicide as ethically

unobjectionable but felt that it must be

done in good style

not like the christians in the spirit of

theatricality

henry chadwick says the certainty that

marcus aurelius ordered the persecution

of christians in gaul which is today's

france

writing that the emperor marcus aurelius

directed that the christian should be

tortured to death

and that no refinement of cruelty was

spared

i personally question the possibility

that marcos really has

made it to gaul but but perhaps chad

book has read some history

that i'm not aware of walter kaufman

in his introduction writes that uh

marcus aurelius for

reasons of state possibly sanctioned the

persecution of christians

and although he personally achieved a

genuinely

christian depth of humility we have an

even more interesting quote by matthew

arnold

what an affinity for christian had this

persecutor of christians

the effusion of christianity it's

relieving tear its happy self-sacrifice

where the very element one feels for

which the soul of marcos aurelius longed

the christians were near him they

brushed him he touched them

but marcus aurelius passed them by and

we have a quote by coppelston

who's is the author of a multi-volume

history of philosophy that's used by

many catholic colleges and seminaries

marcus aurelius was punctiliously

observant of the forms of polytheistic

worship

which partially explains why he

persecuted the christians during his

reign

since he clearly viewed the pagan

religious rites of state worship

as implied in good citizenship and we

have a quote by mcguckin

marcos aurelius mentioned christians

with a distaste

reserved for secretive and maleficent

magical sects

now however wise and kind marcus

aurelius had been

as a competent and good roman emperor

all his striving and kindness would have

been

overstated by the stain left by his son

his petty vicious and lazy narcissistic

son the emperor commodus

whose character far more closely

resembled that of nero

than his father history tells us that

there were credible rumors that commodus

was not the actual son of marcos

aurelius

that rather his mother faustinas had an

affair with a gladiator

while marcus aurelius was away fighting

the germanic tribesmen

now marco cerrelis was the last of the

seven good roman emperors

and most of these good emperors were

adopted by their predecessor

but marcus aurelius instead chose

commodus

as his co-emperor although he knew that

communist was irresponsible and did not

want to

adopt the stoic virtues when marcos

aurelius died on the front

communists abandoned the war and

negotiated a quick piece with the

germans

and retreated to rome to pose as a

gladiator

and commodus was more like nero than his

father

marcus aurelius and he was eventually

assassinated after he started murdering

his closest associates

his reign began many decades of

political inaction and instability when

rome was assaulted by both roman

tribesmen and persians

now to discuss some of the sources i

used for this video

you know from amazon i picked up the

dover thrift edition of the

meditations of marcos aurelius this is

also included in the stoic six pack

however i found the translation of the

meditations in the six-pack to be

undecipherable now marcus aurelius is

quite readable you should purchase this

book and read it for yourself rufus

fears

of the teaching company has a highly

entertaining lecture on marcus aurelius

in the teaching company lecture series

he has a persuasive argument

that this philosopher king was more of a

philosopher than a king

that marcus aurelius lacked the will to

power that would have enabled the

greater roman emperor to

establish an enduring legacy of imperial

power

he also faults marcus aurelius for not

putting aside his unfaithful wife

faustina and his vicious and incompetent

son communist for the good of the empire

and that he should have followed

tradition and adopted a

qualified emperor instead like the other

good roman emperors

and i also would like to mention the

excellent video by

professor luke timothy johnson on the

greco-roman

of practical philosophers and he has a

excellent discussion of the

stoic philosophers in general and this

was a video series that really

changed my life to a certain extent and

gave me a better view and introduction

into

uh the stoic philosophers also we have

quoted in here by eusebius an early

history of the church by eusebius

and modern history by henry chadwick and

i would advise you to read both of these

histories yourself

and we also have uh by coupleson

history of philosophy and there's

probably a dozen volumes of this

and if you're very interested in

philosophy it's a little bit harder to

read but it's good

we also ran across another book

meditations

of uh marcus aurelius with commentary

and this is this is a good book we

didn't really use it for this video but

it's

a good book to look at uh please click

on the link

for our blogs on marcus aurelius and on

the links for our youtube videos on the

greek cynic and stoic philosophers

and other interesting videos that will

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