Five Books on Stoicism
Where to read up on the ancient Greek and Roman philosophy of life
Over the past quarter-century or so, the ancient Greek and Roman philosophy of Stoicism has enjoyed a notable popular revival. Countless individuals—me included—have adopted Stoicism as a philosophy of life and sought to practice it in our day-to-day lives. As a result of this present-day popularity, it’s easier than ever to find accessible, modern translations of classic Stoic works like the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, the Discourses of Epictetus, or the philosophical letters of Seneca. (I myself own at least three different translations of the Meditations, for instance, all published since the turn of the millennium.)
Still, these texts—as enlightening and stimulating as they are in and of themselves—don’t necessarily speak for themselves. Marcus, after all, wrote solely for himself, while Epictetus lectured exclusively and wrote nothing himself. (What we call the Discourses are lecture notes taken by one of his students.) These were works by and for practicing Stoics, and they assume a certain familiarity with the theories and precepts that underlay the philosophy itself. Fortunately, though, we have a wealth of modern commentaries on Stoicism and the ancient Stoics to help us better understand what the likes of Marcus, Epictetus, and Seneca took for granted.
Here are five of books, mainly for popular audiences, that shed greater light on Stoicism as a philosophy as well as the lives of its ancient adherents:
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: Donald Robertson, one of the leading lights of modern Stoicism, provides us with an excellent philosophical biography of Marcus Aurelius. He expertly weaves episodes from Marcus’ life together with lucid explanations of Stoic philosophical precepts and practices, showing how Marcus applied the philosophy throughout his own intensely stressful life as ruler of the Roman Empire—and how we can use these principles and techniques ourselves. A trained psychotherapist, Robertson also illustrates how Stoic ideas and practices fit together well with those recommended by modern psychology, most notably those offered by cognitive-behavioral therapy. For a more straightforward and conventional biography of Marcus, see Robertson’s recent Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor.
The Inner Citadel: First published in the early 1990s, French scholar Pierre Hadot’s creative and pioneering elucidation of the Meditations and its philosophical context inaugurated the modern revival of Stoicism as both a matter for serious study and a living philosophy. Hadot places Marcus and the Meditations in the wider context of Stoic philosophy, in particular as interpreted and expounded by Epictetus. That may seem like a rather simple or obvious point, but it’s a fundamental insight that drives Hadot’s argument as to what Marcus was doing, philosophically speaking, in the Meditations. It’s a book that still serves as the foundation for all modern discussions of Marcus and the Meditations, whether those of us participating in them know it or not.
The Greatest Empire: A Life of Seneca: These days, classicist Emily Wilson is better known for her translations of the Odyssey and the Iliad. But before that, she penned a readable and judicious biography of the statesman, dramatist, and Stoic philosopher Seneca. While she’s no philosopher herself and lapses into academic-ese too often for my taste, Wilson takes readers on a comprehensive tour of Seneca’s philosophical and literary works as well as his still-controversial time in the court of the mad emperor Nero. Just as compelling is James Romm’s Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero; both books make clear the constraints Seneca faced when attempting to guide an ultimately uneducable emperor.
How to Be a Stoic: Back in 2015, philosophy professor Massimo Pigliucci wrote an influential piece for the New York Times extolling the virtues of Stoicism as a philosophy of life for the modern world. Two years later, he published this how-to book that gives readers a practical guide to applying Stoic principles to their own busy twenty-first century lives. It’s still probably the best and easiest to read introduction to Stoic philosophy on the market, even if Pigliucci himself has moved beyond Stoicism to a wider appreciation for a variety of ancient Greek and Roman philosophies of life.
Lives of the Stoics: As this collection of biographical sketches by Ryan Holiday (of Daily Stoic fame) and Stephen Hanselman makes clear, there was more to Stoicism in the ancient world than the big three of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca. This book doesn’t just give lesser-known Stoics like Panaetius of Rhodes and Diogenes of Babylon their due, however; it’s a lively tour through the origins, evolution, and practice of Stoic philosophy in the ancient world. As Holiday and Hanselman vividly illustrate, Stoicism remained a living philosophy throughout its ancient life, one that valued wisdom while at the same time keeping itself open to new ideas.
For those seeking a deeper—and much denser—dive into the modern Stoic literature, these academic works may be up your alley:
Learning to Live Naturally, the academic philosopher Christopher Gill’s tour-de-force account that brings out the connections between Stoic ethics and the philosophy’s wider theoretical underpinnings.
Stoicism and Emotion, in which Margaret Graver details just how the ancient Stoics actually thought about emotions—cultivating positive ones like joy while minimizing destructive ones like anger.
Ethics of the Family in Seneca, Liz Gloyn’s exploration of the role the family played in Seneca’s thinking—and how it demonstrates the premium the ancient Stoics placed on our social relationships.