Marcus Aurelius: The Man and the Meditations

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Abstract

This chapter sets Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations in the wider historical context of the emperor’s life and reign. It considers his family, upbringing, and route to the imperial purple, as well as his principal philosophical and intellectual influences. Marcus’ attitudes to proper imperial conduct are explored through his description of his adoptive father Antoninus Pius. Special attention is paid to comparing and contrasting Marcus’ own views in the Meditations with other ancient sources, particularly his correspondence with his tutor Fronto and later accounts by Cassius Dio and the Historia Augusta.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Cambridge Companion to Marcus Aurelius' Meditations
EditorsJohn Sellars
PublisherCambridge University Press
Pages9-25
ISBN (Electronic)9781108939928
ISBN (Print) 9781108940627
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2025

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