Marcus Aurelius 
Meditations 
Philosophical Contemplations of a Roman Emperor

‘Meditations’ is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from second century, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the Meditations as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. The Meditations is divided into 12 books that chronicle different periods of Marcus’ life. A central theme to Meditations is the importance of analyzing one’s judgment of self and others and the development of a cosmic perspective. The style of writing that permeates the text is one that is simplified, straightforward, and perhaps reflecting Marcus’ Stoic perspective on the text.

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Marcus Aurelius (121-180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180. He was the last of the rulers traditionally known as the Five Good Emperors. Among Roman Emperors, he has been called ‘The Philosopher’. He was a practitioner of Stoicism, and his personal philosophical writings, which later came to be called Meditations, are a significant source of the modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy. They are considered by many commentators to be one of the greatest works of philosophy