Intro
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, most often referred to by his last name, was a prominent philosophical figure in the Roman Imperial Period (27 BC to AD 476). He is one of the most influential figures of stoicism, a philosophical movement about the power of transformation through knowledge.1
However, Seneca was not your typical philosopher. Philosophy was not just something he studied - it was a way of life. He did not spend his days with his head in the books, but rather practiced philosophy in everyday actions. Aside from being a philosopher, Seneca was a statesman, an orator, and a playwright. Seneca was also known for his poetic tragedies that handled familiar Greek tragic themes.2
Overall, Seneca’s goal was to live meaningfully and authentically, as per stoic philosophy. He believed this could be achieved through an understanding of the world, nature, and himself.1 He was adamant that we should only concern ourselves with what we can control - the present - and not base our decisions on what is uncertain - the future. He strove to live life to the fullest, and his philosophies help guide his followers down the same path.
True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so, wants nothing.
- Lucius Seneca3
