How Spanish is Stoicism?
Thoughts on the Spanish translation of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
I was recently asked by Temas de Hoy the Spanish publisher, to write an introduction to their new (Jan 2024) edition of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.
The Latin American edition, Piensa como un emperador romano, was released in June 2020 by Planeta Publishing. It has been reviewed over 220 times on Amazon. The audiobook of this translation, narrated by Carlos Garza, has also proven to be very popular.
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor has been translated, at the time of writing, into around twenty languages. I was pleased to learn that it has become so popular in Spanish, and that there is growing interest in Stoicism in Latin America and also in Spain. I think this is especially important as Spain is the birthplace of at least one important Stoic philosopher during the Roman Imperial era, and has links with the family of another.
The famous Stoic philosopher, Seneca the Younger (aka Lucius Annaeus Seneca), of course, was born in Corduba (modern-day Córdoba) the capital city of the Roman province of Hispania Baetica (the modern-day Andalusia region of Spain). His father, whom we call Seneca the Elder, was a rhetorician and Roman equestrian or knight. They moved to Rome when the boy was still young, possibly around five years old. Other members of Seneca’s family appear to have been interested in Stoicism, such as his nephew, the famous Latin poet Lucan (aka Marcus Annaeus Lucanus), who was also born in Corduba.
The emperor Marcus Aurelius, although born in Rome, came from an important family of the senatorial class, whose ancestral home was originally in Hispania Baetica. His grandfather, Marcus Annius Verus, was born in Succuba (modern Espejo) about a day’s walk from Corduba, the birthplace of Seneca. Seneca was executed by Emperor Nero in 65 CE, when Marcus’ grandfather was probably aged around fifteen, and commencing his tertiary education. Seneca must have been particularly famous in his birthplace and so Marcus’ paternal family would undoubtedly have been very familiar with his writings.
There’s a curious expression in a letter written by Fronto (his Latin rhetoric master) to Marcus. Fronto is rambling on about the art of rhetoric and refers in passing to “your Annaeus”, of whose writing style he is not a fan. The context makes it explicit that he is referring to Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the famous Stoic philosopher - but why did he say your Annaeus? The most natural assumption is that he’s alluding to the fact that Seneca and Marcus are both Stoics. However, Fronto may also be alluding to the fact that Seneca’s family were once neighbours of Marcus’ family in Hispania Baetica. (Although Seneca moved to Rome as a young boy and Marcus was born in Rome, generations later, their families probably still owned these rural estates.)
Indeed, Marcus took special care of his ancestral homeland, according to the Historia Augusta.
He made scrupulous provision, furthermore, for the welfare of the provinces of Hispania, which, in defiance of the policy of Trajan, had been exhausted by levies from the Italian settlers.
Moreover, in addition to fighting major wars in Parthia and Germania, Marcus sent his generals to defend Spain against a devastating Moorish invasion, believed to have taken place around 172-173 CE.
Against the Mauri, when they wasted almost the whole of Hispania, matters were brought to a successful conclusion by his legates.
Marcus may have been encouraged to study Stoicism by his adoptive grandfather, Emperor Hadrian, who was born in the town of Italica (modern Santiponce) near Seville — when he first came to Rome, aged around fourteen, Hadrian was mocked for his provincial Baetican accent, which he retained throughout life.
Hadrian was famously a hellenophile who loved to dabble in Greek philosophy and literature. He appears to have met the Stoic teacher, Epictetus, during his time in Greece. Although Marcus never met Epictetus himself, he obtained a copy of his Discourses, which became his main inspiration in life. Hadrian, although not a good example of Stoic virtue himself, may even have had some influence over the choice of Marcus’ tutors, among whom Stoics feature prominently. Hadrian promoted influential Stoics such as Arrian, the transcriber of Epictetus’ Discourses, and both Claudius Maximus and Junius Rusticus, two of Marcus’ Stoic tutors. These three Stoics all became consuls and occupied senior military posts under Hadrian. Though no Stoic himself, therefore, Hadrian, who was like Seneca born in Spain, paved the way for Marcus Aurelius to surround himself with Stoic mentors.
Of course I realise the Spanish connections but as I read your piece i began to realise just how many stoic connections there are with that part of Spain - coincidence or is there some cultural or philosophical root that has produced this common thread ?