Marcus Aurelius – Stoick csa Robertson Donald (2026)

This biography tells the story of an emperor who refused to let power control him. Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire during the height of its prosperity, commanded armies, decided the fate of millions and dealt with conspiracies and wars. His private diaries, however, reveal a man struggling with doubt, sorrow and the conflict between the person he wanted to be and what the throne demanded of him. Donald Robertson draws you into Marcuss inner struggle and shows how he used Stoic philosophy to overcome the immense obstacles he faced throughout his life. He also introduces the people who shaped Marcus most, including his mother Domitia Lucilla, the enigmatic Emperor Hadrian and his Stoic teachers. Drawing on Meditations, ancient correspondence and historical records, Robertson presents a compelling biography of the best-known emperor to practise Stoicism. For Marcus Aurelius, Stoicism was not merely a philosophy but his fundamental strategy for survival. This is the true story of a man who tried to reconcile power with his principles and kindness, and whose example can still offer great inspiration two thousand years after his death.