How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius

"This book is a wonderful introduction to one of history's greatest figures: Marcus Aurelius. His life and this book are a clear guide for those facing adversity, seeking tranquility and pursuing excellence." —Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic

The life-changing principles of Stoicism taught through the story of its most famous proponent.

Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was the final famous Stoic philosopher of the ancient world. The Meditations, his personal journal, survives to this day as one of the most loved self-help and spiritual classics of all time. In How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, cognitive psychotherapist Donald Robertson weaves the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius together seamlessly to provide a compelling modern-day guide to the Stoic wisdom followed by countless individuals throughout the centuries as a path to achieving greater fulfillment and emotional resilience.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor takes readers on a transformative journey along with Marcus, following his progress from a young noble at the court of Hadrian—taken under the wing of some of the finest philosophers of his day—through to his reign as emperor of Rome at the height of its power. Robertson shows how Marcus used philosophical doctrines and therapeutic practices to build emotional resilience and endure tremendous adversity, and guides readers through applying the same methods to their own lives.

Combining remarkable stories from Marcus’s life with insights from modern psychology and the enduring wisdom of his philosophy, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor puts a human face on Stoicism and offers a timeless and essential guide to handling the ethical and psychological challenges we face today.

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Review

"This book uniquely combines history, philosophy, and psychology in a way that is both entertaining and extremely useful for the self-development of the reader. This is not some cheap “self-help” gimmick but a true manual of self-development. Robertson has an interesting way of leading readers through a journey of how Stoic philosophy works, how it was utilized effectively by Marcus Aurelius, and suggests practical exercises to utilize these methods in the reader’s own life." ―Small Wars Journal

From the Author

This book is the result of nearly twenty years of research on Stoicism and its relevance to the psychological challenges of modern life. I was inspired to write it when my daughter kept asking me to tell her more and more stories about ancient philosophy. I realized that the best way to learn about Stoicism is through the examples provided by the lives of ancient Stoics such as Marcus Aurelius. In this book, I've combined stories from the life of Marcus Aurelius, based on extensive research using the surviving Roman histories of his reign, with insights and practical guidance found in his famous notebook, known as The Meditations. I also drew on my experience as a cognitive-behavioural therapist and trainer to present Stoic techniques in a way that could be put into practice by modern readers. Chapters deal with topics such as coping with unhealthy desires, pain and illness, worry and anxiety, anger, and loss. The Meditations is already a classic but I realized that people could be helped to get twice as much benefit from the wisdom it contains by learning more about the man who wrote it and the Stoic concepts and techniques he found so valuable in overcoming the challenges he faced as Roman Emperor.