A book (📕 / 📀 / 🎧) by Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Seneca’s makeover of Stoicism
From a frail adolescent facing a bleak future to the ancient Roman luminary we still quote today, Seneca’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.
Imagine evading death sentences from not one but two ruthless emperors, Caligula and Claudius. Instead of the cold grasp of death, Seneca faced eight years of solitude in exile. However, every cloud has its silver lining; in his isolation, he discovered the power of philosophy.
Jump forward to 49 CE — the exile was over, and Seneca began tutoring a twelve-year-old boy who would later become the emperor Nero. And when the latter came to power, Seneca became the unofficial chief minister. He acquired much wealth, yet claimed that riches hadn’t swayed his mindset.
In 62 CE, the philosopher’s friends warned that Nero might attempt to overthrow him, realizing Seneca’s potential to replace Nero. So, he retired and focused on philosophy, almost immediately putting pen to paper and writing his legendary letters. These letters are not merely casual correspondence but moral essays; this summary aims to decipher them for you.
You might have heard about Stoicism before. It’s a school of thought that values wisdom, perseverance, and self-sufficiency. Its followers considered humanity a unified community that can find peace by living harmoniously with nature and focusing only on the essentials. Some went so far in pursuing self-sufficiency that their unattainable ideals drove them to social isolation.
⚡️True wealth lies not in what you have but in who you become.
While many believe Seneca founded Stoicism, he humanized its dogmatic notions, acknowledging humans’ emotional and imperfect nature. Moreover, his belief in equality improved the enslaved people’s position in Ancient Rome and indirectly inspired the French and American revolutions.
So, let’s get to the revolutionary ideas of a wise man ahead of his time.