Marcus Aurelius did not come out of the womb a leader. Nor was he an emperor ‘by blood.’ In fact, when first told he was to be king, he wept—thinking of all the bad and failed kings of history.
So how did he get from there to philosopher king? Book 1 of Meditations shows us. The first ten percent of the book—Debts and Lessons—thanks people who groomed him ... Show More
Mar 15
BONUS | How to Reset Your Life (According to the Stoics)
Ready to write off 2026 already because it didn’t start perfectly? In this episode, Ryan talks about why the Stoics would say that impulse is not just unhelpful, it’s arrogant. Writing off today, this week, or this year assumes you’ll always have another chance later. The Stoics ... Show More
14m 54s
Feb 2021
Marcus Aurelius
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the man who, according to Machiavelli, was the last of the Five Good Emperors. Marcus Aurelius, 121 to 180 AD, has long been known as a model of the philosopher king, a Stoic who, while on military campaigns, compiled ideas on how best to live his ... Show More
52m 36s
Feb 2021
Marcus Aurelius
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the man who, according to Machiavelli, was the last of the Five Good Emperors. Marcus Aurelius, 121 to 180 AD, has long been known as a model of the philosopher king, a Stoic who, while on military campaigns, compiled ideas on how best to live his ... Show More
52m 36s
Sep 2022
Marcus Nevius on Becoming a Historian, Marronage, Slave Resistance, and More!
Today's episode of "New Books in African American Studies" is special. Why, you might ask? Because today's episode marks my 100th episode on the NBN! To celebrate, I am chopping it up with my good brother, Dr. Marcus Nevius, Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies at ... Show More
2h 18m
