Lucius Annaeus Seneca

He was born in Corduba, Hispanic, where his father taught rhetorical arts. He came to Rome in his youth and received a rhetorical and philosophical education on his father's watch. Like his brothers, he was a declamator (lecturer, orator) and promoter of declamations that gradually permeated roman literature. He proclaimed the stoic teaching that the highest good for man, the source of happiness and bliss was the virtue of being able to withstand external circumstances beyond his control, and to live in a peace of mind from which even the true philosopher could not deliver the blows of fate. After his studies in Rome, he stayed with his aunt in Egypt for some time to boost his health. After returning to Rome, he took up a career as a clerk. Fairly soon, he became a bursar and began to make public appearances. Under Caligula, he became a senator. His father died in '39, and his wife and son died shortly before that. He had fallen out of favor with Emperor Caligula, and only fabricated information about his terminal illness had saved him since his violent death.

During the reign of Emperor Claudio, he was in r. 41 banished to Corsica, possibly under the influence of Claudio's wife Messalina. He was accused of adultery with Claudio's sister, Julia Liville. In Corsica, he devoted himself to philosophy and literary activity. He was called back to Rome after eight years (49) at the request of Claudio's fourth wife, Agrippina, to become her son Nero's tutor. When Nero began to rule in 54, he was 17 years old. At this time, seneca, along with the prefect of praetorians, Sext Afranio Burr, ruled mainly for him. In 1957, he was appointed consul, and for a time was heavily involved in the administration of the empire. Later becoming uncomfortable with the emperor, his friend Burrus (chief of the praetorians) died in 62, and his power began to wane.

Seneca gradually began to evade all authorities and retreated into seclusion. In '65, he was accused of involvement in the Pison plot, although his real involvement in it is unlikely. He was then forced to kill himself at Nero's behest, slitting his veins on 12 April 65. Seneca's death is sometimes mistakenly associated with fighting for the Republic, etc., even though Seneca, on the other hand, was a supporter of the Empire.