Stoicism In Ancient Rome

Epictetus was a Stoic philosopher who lived during the height of the Roman Empire, 50 to 135 CE roughly. He was born a slave in modern Turkey. He was given his name from the Greek word επικτητος, meaning ‘acquired’ or ‘slave’. As a slave he was permitted to attend philosophy lectures, which were held by Stoics at the time. During his time as a slave, Epictetus’ leg was injured, either from torture or an accident, and, due to his familiarity with Stoicism, he was able to endure it. He got his freedom when Nero was appointed emperor; however, during the rule of Domitian, Epictetus was exiled and moved to Greece. He started a philosophy school where he continued to teach about Stoicism and eventually died. His student, Arrian, wrote and published his works: The Discourses and Epictetus’ shorter book, the Enchiridion, or The Manual.

Many things have changed the course of history and civilization but western civilization has been affected by the Greek and Roman culture the most. Philosophy is one of the most significant parts of the Greek and Roman culture. Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher has had a lasting impact on philosophy and the nature of humans, where “his work covered a broad spectrum of interests and ideas: mathematics, science and nature, morals and political theory” (Biography). In addition, another “major philosophical figure of the Roman Imperial Period” (Vogt) was Seneca; where “he occupied a central place in literature on Stoicism at the time and shaped the understanding of Stoic thought that later generations were to have” (Vogt).

He had been highly educated in both Greece and Rome. He was also a great intellectual and orator of his time which would have put him in contact with the people who already knew of Stoicism. He studied under the Stoic philosopher Diodotus (d. 59 BCE). They maintained such a close friendship that Diodotus lived in Cicero’s house until his death when he left everything he owned to Cicero. While Cicero considered himself not a complete disciple of Stoicism (he followed some teaching of Epicurus and Plato) he practiced Stoicism’s ideals, especially it’s ethics, throughout his life. Professor and historian Edward Clayton writes that “Cicero puts forth Stoic doctrines not dogmatically, as absolutely and always true, but as the best set of beliefs so far developed. We ought to adhere to them because our lives, both individually and collectively, will be better if we do. It is essentially Stoic ethical teachings that Cicero urges the Roman elite to adopt.” Cicero urges the elite to adopt these ethics through his orations and his philosophical writings. He, himself, studied the texts of the earlier stoic philosopher Panaetius, and this influenced his most famous work: De Officiis, or On Duty. On De Divinationes, another of Cicero’s Stoicism -influenced works, the historian A E Douglas writes that: “Cicero wrote at its beginning and again at its end… that he was deliberately seeking relief through philosophy from the political troubles of the time and an outlet

The single most important philosophy in Rome was Stoicism, which originated in Hellenistic Greece. The contents of the philosophy were easily persuaded to the Roman worldview, especially to repeat what the Romans considered their crowning achievement. The centrepiece of Stoic philosophy was the concept of the logos. The universe is ordered by God and this order is the logos, which means ?meaning of the universe?. Rome at its beginning was basically agricultural and martial culture. As a result, the earliest Romans stressed effortlessness, strength, and toughness, which are all requirements of both the agricultural and martial lifestyles.

The story of ancient Rome is a tale of how a small community of shepherds in the central Italy grew to become one of the greatest empires in history, and then collapsed. According to Roman legend. Rome was founded in 753 B.C. By 275 B.C., it controlled most of the Italian Peninsula. In the A.D. 100’s, the Roman Empire covered about half of Europe, much of the Middle East, and the northern coast of Africa. The empire then began to crumble, party because it was too big for Rome to govern.

Born of different backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences, Epictetus and Seneca are Roman philosophers who outwardly appear very different. Epictetus spent most of his youth as a slave while Seneca was born into money and became a tutor of Nero. Although these two men seem to be very dissimilar, they each shared a common purpose in studying philosophy and teaching people on how to live well. Each suggested different paths for how to do so. Epictetus suggests in his book, The Discourses and The Enchiridion, that living a life in accordance with nature could be achieved by living moderately. Seneca suggests in his work, Letters from a Stoic, that a happy man is self-sufficient and realizes that happiness depends only on interior perfection. Despite the differences, both Epictetus and Seneca are considered Stoics because of their shared belief in the idea that character is the only guarantee of everlasting, carefree happiness. The world outside ourselves will never give us happiness, nor will it be responsible for our unhappiness. It doesn’t matter what’s happening outside ourselves, Epictetus and Seneca claim that the only thing that matters is how we interpret those events. Further evaluating Seneca’s, Letters from a Stoic and Epictetus’s, The Discourses and The Enchiridion, we will clearly be able to differentiate the two in their ideas and opinions regarding stoicism and the keys to living a well, happy life.

The Roman way of life is different and similar to modern day. Though one may not know much over the Roman’s the culture is fascinating and still remembered in history. The clothes, food, customs, and leisure are major in Roman lifestyle.

If I were a noble man then surely I would not even question my Roman faith, however, since I am lost in a sea of middle class laborers I could contemplate Christianity. Word of Christianity spreads slowly in rural communities and I have only heard pieces of this new religion when I travel into the city. The middle class has clearly grown throughout the years with the decrease in population that participates in government affairs. This leads to a skewed distribution of wealth to the minority of individuals. It also seems as though both men and women have both been straying from tradition and normality. However, I would lose the ability to practice my faith openly in the community because the authorities wouldn’t like that Christians view public affairs as meaningless. The emperor would think I am not loyal because I would participate in his army of killers, yet I would be loyal to a man I call king

Marcus Aurelius (c. A.D. 121 - 180) was a Roman Emperor and philosopher during the Roman period. He is considered to be one of the most important Stoic philosophers in history. His work titled "Meditations" is revered as a great literary accomplishment and as a concise statement of Stoic philosophy. Marcus' work can be viewed as a set of practical philosophical exercises that are meant to be put into practice and his work has had a tremendous influence over the centuries.

The school met informally in the heart of the city at the Painted Stoa (Painted Porch), which was how “Stoics” gained their name. With the death of Alexander, “the greatness of life and thought of the Greek city-state ended” (Saunders). Athens had lost its prominence as the urban and cultural center of the world, losing its status to cities like Rome and Alexandria. The public setting of the Stoics' attracted a large audience, and Stoicism was widely embraced by the disenfranchised Athenians living in a time of instability and inconstancy. Rather than as simply a body of knowledge, Stoics saw philosophy as a way of life involving constant practice and training. It is presented as an art with which to transform one's way of life. The goal of Stoicism is to avoid suffering by means of objectivity and self-discipline. The true Stoic is happy under any circumstance, whether diseased, disgraced, or dying. It is not enough, however, to say that one can be happy regardless of circumstances. A true Stoic must actually be happy regardless of circumstances, which proves difficult for most people. The ability to recite philosophy is not enough for the Stoic; one must be able to put his philosophy into

Born of different stations, languages and creeds, Epictetus and Seneca are Roman philosophers who externally appear to be very different. Epictetus was born to a slave mother, sold as a slave himself and spent the majority of his youth as a slave in Rome. Seneca was born into money; he became tutor to a boy named Nero who later acquired position of Emperor of Rome in 54 A.D. Though these two men seem to be from very different worlds, they have a shared purpose in studying philosophy. The purpose of their writings was to teach people how to live well. Though they had a shared purpose, they suggested its achievement through different means. Epictetus professed an ‘expect the worst so you wont be disappointed when it happens’

After the death of Aristotle, philosophy that targeted greater complex depths was outrun by philosophy that focused on mere everyday lives. With the rise and fall of Skepticism, Cynicism, and Epicureanism there was an influence that survived years impacting life and that was Stoicism. Zeno of Citium who believed that the world had an ultimate plan and everything--including nature, animals, and humans, were there for a reason (Hergenhahn & Henley, 2014, p. 66). The reason Stoicism was easily used is because it was well-suited with the way Romans highlighted their law and order giving the extensive coverage displayed by many philosophers, including Marcus Aurelius.

An agonistic society is a major consequent of the perception of limited good. Jerome Neyrey and Eric Stewart contend that, “If one sees the world in terms of limited good, it becomes an agonistic world.” The Greco-Roman society was competitive and agonistic.

Happiness is all around the world, it is a very genuine and important thing, and everyone wants to be happy. Being happy is what makes life worth living, and it makes life a lot better in every way possible. What makes people happy though? Are bodily and external goods necessary to happiness? I would say no because by which they can make you happy, they are not necessary for human happiness. It’s not what things you buy, the pain, the suffering, or enjoyment your body might get. Human happiness comes from somewhere else within the human. Comparing and contrasting Aristotle’s and the Stoics’ view of human happiness will help give a better clear and logical understanding on what really happiness is and why I believe that bodily

The important thing about Rome is that it made inordinate advances in architecture. Romans were known for using arches, vaults and domes. Another important thing about Rome is that they developed the Republic form of government which is still used today. They also supported Christianity. Consequently, Christianity began to spread. Stoicism, which was founded by a Greek philosopher, was widely believed in by the Romans. It taught how to be an excellent citizen with the traits of virtue, duty and endurance. Today, people still view these to be the necessary qualities of a citizen. But the important thing about Rome is that it made inordinate advances in architecture.