Contents
Seneca the Younger
Writing Stoic advice on time, anger and living well while serving at Nero’s court.
On the Shortness of Life · On Anger
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Córdoba, Roman Empire
- Died
- 65
More people
Seneca the Younger
Roman philosopher, dramatist and statesman. His practical ethical writings survive alongside a political career that placed him close to imperial power.
Early life
A provincial Roman family
Born around 4 BCE in Córdoba, according to the usual dating; his exact birth year is uncertain.
Training in Rome
Studied rhetoric and philosophy, preparing for a career in public speaking and politics.
Career
- 41–49 CE
Exile
Was banished to Corsica under Claudius.
- 49–62 CE
Imperial adviser
Returned as Nero’s tutor and later served as an influential adviser during the emperor’s early rule.
- 62–65 CE
Withdrawal and writing
Withdrew from public life and produced late philosophical writing before Nero ordered his death.
Ideas & writings
On the Shortness of Life
An essay about how people spend and waste their time.
On Anger
A sustained examination of anger and ways to resist it.
Letters to Lucilius
Letters addressing friendship, hardship, wealth and moral practice.
Beyond philosophy
Wealth and principle
His substantial wealth and proximity to Nero sit uneasily beside his advice about independence from fortune.
A dramatist too
Wrote tragedies including Medea and Thyestes, which influenced later European drama.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Institutional biography and career ↗Photo: Calidius. CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
