By Donald J. Robertson
A comprehensive and captivating biography detailing all the aspects of the life of Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor.
Summary
Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor shows us, in great detail, the life of the one person who came closest to the ideal of Plato’s philosopher king. The journey takes us from his childhood right up to his death, using the most important people around him to paint the picture.
Not only are official sources being used, such as contemporary historians and legal documents, but we also get to learn about his personal correspondence. Donald Robertson uses the Meditations, Marcus’s journal, and many letters that were sent between him and the people around him, to create the image of who he was as a person.
Each part of the book builds on the relationship and influence of a specific person as it happens throughout his life. This helps us imagine the world in which Marcus grew up. And it gives us a better idea of how impressive it was that he turned out the way he did. Moreover, we have more insights into the importance of the Stoic philosophy that guided Marcus Aurelius to become one of the best leaders the world has ever seen.
Review
Whether you are a history enthusiast, a Romanophile, into Stoicism, or like biographies, then this book is one you can’t miss. Donald Robertson brings us right into the life of Marcus Aurelius. It is as if we are looking over his shoulder the entire time. In fact, in some instances, it feels like we are going into his thoughts and mind. He manages this by using the people around him to describe the scene and adds parts of his Meditations to zoom into the man. Donald’s background as a psychotherapist lends itself to this in a unique way.
By looking at all the historical data that is available, we also get to read about some of the critiques that Marcus would have received. Yet there wasn’t much of that going around, as we can see that most opinions were favorable. This book is easy to read because of its accessible writing style. Yet it feels academic in a positive way due to the research that has been poured into it. The number of references and historical background add great confidence the content.
We know Donald Robertson from some of his other books on Marcus Aurelius. Such as How To Think Like a Roman Emperor and the graphic novel Verissimus. He also wrote some books on Stoicism like Stoicism and the Art of Happiness. I feared that this would be somewhat of a copy, but that thought was proven untrue. Whereas the others fell into the self-help genre, this is a pure biography. You can tell that the others helped build the expertise on the subject of Marcus Aurelius. This all comes together here.
Recommendation
This is a must-have book if you are into the life of the Roman Empire. It almost brings you to the streets of Rome and gives you more insights into what life was like back then. It reminds me of Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James Romm. But the main focus is Marcus Aurelius and this book adds a lot of new information and details on his life. Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor will complement the reading of the Meditations. Because you’ll learn more about all the characters he mentions, as well as the situation when he wrote it.
For the Stoics out there, this is a nice read. There is enough Stoicism mentioned to scratch that itch, but it doesn’t go into the philosophy as other books do. Which is logical because it is a biography. The fact that it is being mentioned is wonderful. It shows the reader how it can help someone be a better person when it is practiced.
Final thoughts
This is an exquisite biography of a man who is still an example of how life should be lived. It not only focuses on his life but also gives us the world around him. I’m sure I’ll read this book again since it is well-written and provides high-quality information.
On Street Stoics the podcast, we were honored to have had a conversation with Donald Robertson. You can find that interview on the Spotify link. If you want to read more book reviews, you can go here. And to get a copy of this book, you can use this affiliate link to get one on Amazon.
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