Roman Philosophy

A call to save ourselves and our planet by targeting the root of our inaction: extreme shortsightedness.

In Lessons in Stoicism, philosopher John Sellars weaves together the key ideas of the three great Roman Stoics - Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius - with snapshots of their fascinating lives, to show us how their ideas can help us today. In vivid prose, Sellars shows how the works of these three Stoics have inspired people ever since, speaking as they do to some of the perennial issues that face anyone trying to navigate their way through life.

The remarkable range of Plato's Dialogues is vividly demonstrated by these three works. It opens with Phaedrus, a highly personal discussion between Socrates (David Rintoul) and the young, love-struck Phaedrus (Gunnar Cauthery). They go for a walk outside the walls of Athens and, under a plane tree by the banks of the Ilissus, talk about love - erotic and 'Platonic' love. Socrates endeavours to steer Phaedrus away from infatuation and show him that real love is based on concern for the beloved.

Acclaimed historian and best-selling author Paul Johnson’s books have been translated into dozens of languages. In Socrates: A Man for Our Times, Johnson draws from little-known resources to construct a fascinating account of one of history’s greatest thinkers. Socrates transcended class limitations in Athens during the fifth century B.C. to develop ideas that still shape the way we think about the human body and soul, including the workings of the human mind.

In this extensive sequel to Science Education in the Early Roman Empire, Dr. Richard Carrier explores the social history of scientists in the Roman era. Was science in decline or experiencing a revival under the Romans? What was an ancient scientist thought to be and do? Who were they, and who funded their research? And how did pagans differ from their Christian peers in their views toward science and scientists?

Para los antiguos, la justicia iba mucho más allá que lo que sucedía en un tribunal. Era mucho más urgente que las ideas que se debatían en las aulas de Filosofía. Implicaba una forma de vida, el compromiso personal de hacer lo correcto por difícil que fuera.

Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations in Koine Greek as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. It is possible that large portions of the work were written at Sirmium, where he spent much time planning military campaigns from 170 to 180.

In the first century BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero, orator, statesman and defender of republican values, created these philosophical treatises on such diverse topics as friendship, religion, death, fate and scientific inquiry. A pragmatist at heart, Cicero's philosophies were frequently personal and ethical, drawn not from abstract reasoning but through careful observation of the world. The resulting works remind us of the importance of social ties, the questions of free will and the justification of any creative endeavour.

Daniel Klein journeys to the Greek island Hydra to discover the secrets of aging happily. Drawing on the lives of his Greek friends, as well as philosophers ranging from Epicurus to Sartre, Klein learns to appreciate old age as a distinct and extraordinarily valuable stage of life. He uncovers simple pleasures that are uniquely available late in life, as well as headier pleasures that only a mature mind can fully appreciate.

Is good character something that can be taught? In 430 BCE, Socrates set out to teach the vain, power-seeking Athenian statesman Alcibiades how to be a good person—and failed spectacularly. Alcibiades went on to beguile his city into a hopeless war with Syracuse, and all of Athens paid the price. In The Quest for Character, philosophy professor Massimo Pigliucci tells this famous story and asks what we can learn from it.

Here, in this second collection of Socratic Dialogues from Plato's Early Period, read by David Rintoul as Socrates with a full cast, are contrasting six works. Often, as with Gorgias, which opens the recording, Socrates combats the popular subjects of sophistry and rhetoric, in direct conversation with Gorgias (a leading sophist teacher), and with one of his pupils, Callicles.

This lively and accessible introduction to Plato focuses on the philosophy and argument of his writings, drawing the listener into Plato's way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking. It looks at Plato as a thinker grappling with philosophical problems in a variety of ways, rather than a philosopher with a fully worked-out system. It includes a brief account of Plato's life and the various interpretations that have been drawn from the sparse remains of information.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 B.C-A.D. 65), the chief advisor to the emperor Nero, was the power behind the throne in Ancient Rome. He is most famous for his writings on Stoic ideology, in which philosophy is a practical form of self-improvement. Seneca’s letters address the issues of life and death confronting every generation while upholding the ideals of Stoicism–valuing courage and friendship, avoiding corruption and self-indulgence, striving to achieve a good life while being immune to life’s setbacks, and enjoying life without the fear of dying.

A leading thinker of the Stoic school of philosophy, Epictetus (A.D. 55-135) was a renowned teacher whose students transcribed and compiled his teachings; this collection presents the work of Arrian, a Greek philosopher and historian who was a disciple of Epictetus. In these two brief but highly influential works, Epictetus demonstrates that philosophy is more than a theoretical discipline; it is a way of life based on logic, reason, and self-reflection.

Nada es posible sin la virtud del coraje. Desde los antiguos espartanos hasta el Movimiento por los derechos civiles; desde científicos pioneros hasta empresarios innovadores; desde Charles de Gaulle hasta Florence Nightingale, los grandes líderes han pasado a la historia por los riesgos que se atrevieron a asumir. Sin embargo, hoy somos muchos los que nos vemos paralizados por el miedo.

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is one of the greatest guides to human flourishing ever written, but its length and style have left many readers languishing. How to Flourish is a colloquial new translation by Susan Sauve Meyer that makes Aristotle's timeless insights about how to lead a good life more engaging and accessible than ever before.

This dialogue is a must-listen for anyone interested in ancient philosophy, cosmology, or metaphysics. Timaeus invites listeners to reflect on the deeper questions of life, existence, and the universe’s origins.

Monument de la philosophie stoïcienne, Les Pensées pour moi-même ont été écrites par l'empereur romain Marc Aurèle au IIe siècle, au cours d'un règne tumultueux. Conçu au fil de l'eau comme un journal intime ou une bouteille à la mer, ce texte fait partie de ces viatiques pour l'âme qui ne craignent pas le passage du temps. Au même titre que les Essais de Montaigne ou les Pensées de Pascal, il bâtit les arches d'une méditation sur notre condition humaine, construit un pont vers la connaissance de soi.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius offers profound insights into Stoic philosophy. In these writings, the Roman Emperor contemplates themes of virtue, resilience, and inner peace, guiding listeners on how to live a life of purpose and integrity.

Divided into short chapters that can be listened to in brief sittings, What Is Stoicism? compiles two millennia of Stoic thought into simple conversational prose.