The Roman Stoics: Self, Responsibility, And Affection

Roman Stoic thinkers in the imperial period adapted Greek doctrine to create a model of the self that served to connect philosophical ideals with traditional societal values. Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, Hierocles, and Marcus Aurelius all engaged in rigorous self-examination that enabled them to integrate philosophy into the practice of living. Gretchen Reydams-Schils's innovative new book shows how these thinkers applied their distinct brand of social ethics to everyday relations and responsibilities.

The Roman Stoics reexamines the philosophical basis that instructed social practice in friendship, marriage, parenting, and community. From this analysis emerge Stoics who were neither cold nor detached, as the stereotype has it, but all too aware of their human weaknesses. In a valuable contribution to current discussions in the humanities on identity, autonomy, and altruism, Reydams-Schils ultimately conveys the wisdom the Stoics have to bestow upon citizens of modern society.

Journal of Roman History and Culture

"Taken as a whole, the book seems to me highly successful. It offers what is, to my knowledge, the first sustained account of social ethics in Roman Stoicism. . . . The emphasis on social and familial embeddedness captures a genuine dimension of Stoicism and one that is often understated or undervalued by scholars. . . . The book is written in an accessible and informative style that will make it useful to scholars and students of Roman social history as well as ancient philosophy."

— Christopher Gill