Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor
The Ancients19 Okt 2025

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor

He's known as Rome’s philosopher-emperor and faced plague, rebellion and war in the East. Yet Marcus Aurelius ruled with a pen as much as a sword, finding peace in philosophy which still inspires the world today.


In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor William Stephens to uncover the life, legacy, and stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. From his rise to emperor at the height of Rome’s power to his struggles with plague, rebellion, and invasion, they unpack how this philosopher-king embodied the ideals of Stoicism while leading through crisis and ask what Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations can tell us about duty, resilience, and the mind of Rome’s most thoughtful ruler?


MORE

Commodus: The Gladiator Emperor

Pax Romana


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(594)

Temple Mount

Temple Mount

Temple Mount is one of the most sacred places in Jerusalem. A rocky outcrop that has become important for Islam, Judaism and Christianity and the acropolis of the ancient city, with links to figures l...

29 Jun 20241h 1min

The Biblical Kingdom of Israel

The Biblical Kingdom of Israel

The story of the ancient kingdom of Israel is a central part of the Old Testament. Famous for its kings like Saul, David and Solomon, the kingdom supposedly emerged in the southern Levant in the late ...

26 Jun 202459min

Heracles

Heracles

Tristan Hughes continues the Greek Gods and Goddesses series with today’s deity; the most popular mythical hero of them all: Heracles, or Hercules. Same hero.His story has never faded, reimagined in v...

23 Jun 202452min

The Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most famous, yet mysterious, objects mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. This special box that held the sacred 10 Commandments, written by God himself.But what exactly...

19 Jun 202447min

Origins of the Celts

Origins of the Celts

The Celts are an ancient people shrouded in mystery and intrigue. In the minds of most people the word ‘Celt’ refers to the people of Iron Age Britain, or the ferocious Galatians of central Turkey. Bu...

16 Jun 202449min

Moses & The Exodus

Moses & The Exodus

The story of Moses and the Exodus is one of the oldest and most well known in history. It is full of instantly recognisable episodes like the parting of the Red Sea, the ten plagues of Egypt, and the ...

12 Jun 202444min

The Parthians

The Parthians

The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, they charged onto the scene by destroying the Seleucid Empire and became one of Rome’s most formidable...

9 Jun 202454min

Noah's Ark and the Flood

Noah's Ark and the Flood

The Ancients launches a new miniseries exploring the stories, people, objects and kingdoms central to the Old Testament's narrative. There was only one place to start and it's not "In the beginning......

5 Jun 202459min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
henrettelsespodden
historier-som-endret-verden
aftenposten-historie
rss-benadet
sektledere
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-historiske-romanser
rss-gamle-greier
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon
historiepodden
historiepodden-ww2
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-historiepodden-ww2
med-egne-oyne
vare-historier
taakeprat
undersattene