Roman Philosopher Starter Pack
Book Recommendations
The Romans were greatly influenced by Greek philosophy and incorporated many philosophical ideas into their own culture and society. Stoicism, in particular, had a profound impact on Roman society, as its teachings aligned well with the Roman values of discipline, duty, and virtue. Philosophy also played a role in Roman governance and political discourse. Many Roman statesmen and leaders engaged with philosophical ideas to shape their policies and guide their decision-making.
Some of the most renown Roman philosophers held political positions of leadership, so if you want to know what it was like to to be a Roman philosopher, these are the books I recommend.
The Last Roman Citizen
By Rob Goodman and Jimmy Soni
This book follows the Stoic philosopher Cato, who was a conservative member of the Roman Senate praised for his devotion to traditional values.
His arch-nemesis was Julius Caesar. I think we know who ended up with more power in the end.
Dying Every Day
By James Romm
This one is about the life of one of my favorite philosophers, Lucius Seneca.
Seneca was a counselor to the tyrannical Emperor Nero. Seneca constantly tried to persuade Nero to do good, but Nero had a penchant for torture and murder.
How To Think Like A Roman Emperor
By Donald Robertson
This book explores the life of Marcus Aurelius. So, Cato was a member of the Roman Senate, Seneca was a counselor to the Roman emperor, and Marcus Aurelius was the Roman emperor. He is often referred to as a "philosopher king." If you want to know what it's like to become the leader of the world while refusing to compromise your morals, this one is for you.
Enjoy!
-Felecia For The Win
Felecia is a software engineer by trade but a philosopher at heart who has amassed a following of over 500K on TikTok by talking about society. Felecia chats about social constructs, social experiments, social programming, and social psychology.