First published 2022
Marcus Aurelius sits in his tent on the Germanic frontier, rain drumming against leather as he writes in his journal. The weight of Rome presses on his shoulders. Barbarian tribes mass beyond the river while plague ravages his legions. In the capital, senators plot and his son Commodus grows more erratic each day. The emperor who would rather study philosophy must make decisions that will determine the fate of millions. Each choice tests the Stoic principles he holds dear. Can a man remain virtuous when power demands compromise? Marcus struggles between his duty to Rome and his commitment to wisdom. The journal entries reveal a ruler torn between the ideal of the philosopher king and the brutal realities of command. His meditations become both refuge and torment as he seeks meaning in a world that seems to mock his beliefs.
Genres: biography, philosophy, historical-fiction, ancient
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: duty-vs-ideals, philosophical-protagonist
Setting: Rome, Germanic Frontier
Period: Ancient Rome
Paperback