MARCUS AURELIUS was born in 121 AD. He is believed to have been a bookish young boy who studied with a number of Stoic philosophers. He had a reputation for virtue from a young age and was adopted into the imperial family. This led to him becoming Emperor of Rome, a post he held from 161 until his death in 180.
EPICTETUS was born into slavery in ancient Greece in 50 AD. He founded his own school of philosophy and became one of the foundational thinkers of Stoic philosophy. His discourses were transcribed and shared by his student Arrian, and his work has influenced countless readers over the centuries, from Marcus Aurelius to Tom Wolfe.
SENECA was born in 1 BCE in Cordoba and educated in Rome, where he became an advisor for Emperor Nero and had a dramatic political career. However, he is best known for his contributions to Stoic philosophy, and his works played a central role in the renewed interest in Stoicism during the Renaissance.