All The Stoics Were Kings

Not Just Marcus Aurelius

November 28, 2023

Marcus Aurelius was the famous philosopher-king, but he wasn't the only Stoic who was a king.

Octavian, the first Roman emperor, was a student of Athenodorus and Arius Didymus.

Hadrian learned a lot from Epictetus, and Antoninus was always calm and collected—a kind of natural Stoic himself.

But the truth is that all Stoics were the same. All the Stoics were kings.

Cleanthes worked a common job, but he carried himself like he and his work were important.

Caesar was crazy about power, but Cato, who was in charge of himself, didn't want it.

This sounds like a dialogue between a Stoic philosopher and Alexander the Great.

“I’ve conquered the whole world,” Alexander said.

“I’ve conquered the desire to conquer the world,” the Stoic responded.

Epictetus was a slave, but he knew he was freer than most of the men in Nero's court, who kissed his feet and praised him endlessly while fearing for their positions and their lives.

“I’m a slave, but these men are worse off than me,” Epictetus must have thought.

His teacher, Musonius Rufus, once said, "I think a good king is from the start and by necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher is from the start a kingly person."

For the Stoics, how you made a living was more important than what you did for a job.

There was the job of "king," but being a kingly person was much more important.

The best empire to rule, according to Seneca, is “being in charge of yourself.”

Have you yet been in charge of that empire?

Then why are you still reading?

PS. This email was inspired by an article of the Daily Stoic (I’m sure you’re already familiar with it.)