Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, Stoic Philosopher, Playwright and Tutor to Nero

Mini Biography of Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger

Name: Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger

Birth Date: 4 BC – 65 AD

Job Functions: Philosopher, Playwright and Politician

Fields: Philosophy, Literature and Politics

Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger was born into a distinguished family of Italian origin in Cordova, Spain around 4 BC. Seneca’s father, known as Seneca Rhetor was an excellent orator and wrote about history and rhetoric.  Seneca’s older brother was a proconsul of Achaea in AD 51 – 52, and was the Gallio before whose tribunal the Apostle Paul in the Bible was brought.

Seneca was educated in Rome from an early age and received extensive lessons in public speaking and literary composition. His philosophy studies came from lectures he received from Papirus Fabianus and Sotion, adherants of Sextian moral philosophy; the cynic Demetrius; and the stoic Attalus.

Seneca pursued a political career, and in addition to being a lawyer, held the offices of quaestor (AD 31) and praetor before becoming a senator. After becoming a quaestor in AD 31, Seneca spent the next decade establishing himself as one of Rome’s leading writer and orator and won influential friends within the imperial family. When Emperor Claudius acceded to the throne in AD 41, for a time he was prominent in the court. However, he was accused of being the lover of Claudius’ niece, Julia Livilla and banished to Corsica where he lived eight years in exile. The exile was a great setback to his career as a politician and writer.

Fortunately for Seneca, Agrippina, Claudius’ wife recalled him to the court in AD 49 and appointed him as tutor to her son Nero. Seneca was appointed praetor in AD 50. In AD 54, Agrippina murdered her husband, and Nero at the age of 16 acceded to the throne. For the next eight years, Seneca and Sextus Afranius Burrus, the commander of the Praetorian Guard counselled and advised Emperor Nero in sound government. During the latter part of the eight years where they advised Nero, his behaviour became erratic and violent, though Seneca was compelled to overlook his actions.

In AD 59, Nero murdered his mother, Agrippina, explaining to the senate – in a dishonest statement prepared by Seneca – a discovery of her plot against the throne. Burrus died in AD 62, and one of his successors, Ofonius Tigellinus had an evil influence over Nero. Seneca asked to retire and his request was granted. Seneca devoted the next three years of his life to his studies and writing and created a great body of work in that short time.

In AD 65, Seneca was implicated in the Pisonian conspiracy to assinate Nero. Though the evidence was very weak, Seneca was sentenced to self-execution, a common practice under Roman emperors at that time. Seneca severed several veins and bled to death. Seneca’s wife wanted to commit suicide, but he convinced her not to do so.

According to Wikipedia, “There is also speculation in Peter Salway's History of Roman Britain that Seneca had been involved in forcing large loans on the indigenous British aristocracy in the aftermath of Claudius's Roman conquest of Britain, and then calling them in suddenly and aggressively. The suggestion is that this contributed to Boudica's rebellion, and so possibly to his own fall.”

Seneca exercised great influence over Christian writers on morality and ethical conduct. “Seneca has been a source of moral precepts and examples, and especially of psychological descriptions on a higher level – in particular for Yves of Paris, Sebastian of Senlis, Senault Julian Hayneufve and Nicholas Caussin.”

Some of Seneca’s Literary Works

• Greek Tragedies: Medea, Phaedra,Thyestes, Hercules Furens, Troades. Phoenissae, Oedipus, Agamemnon (Tragedies II: Oedipus, Agamemnon, Thyestes, Hercules on Oeta, Octavia (Loeb Classical Library)), (Seneca: Phaedra (Duckworth Companions to Greek & Roman Tragedy))
• Natural Science: Natural Questions (Natural Questions (The Complete Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca))
• Moral Letters to Lucilius – Letters from a Stoic
• Dialogues and Essays (Oxford World's Classics)
• Political Farce: The Pumpkinification of Claudius

Seneca’s tragedies were written to be read and not acted because of their ingenious rhetoric.

Works Cited/Referenced

Encyclopedia of World Biography

Encyclopedia of Philosphy

New Catholic Encyclopedia

Science and Its Times

Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Greece and Rome (1200 BCE – 476 CE)

Encyclopaedia Judaica

 Delphi Complete Works of Seneca the Younger (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics Book 27) Lucius Annaeus Seneca: Letters From A Stoic, Essays, and Tragedies Seneca: 7 Dialogues Of Anger (Perfect Library) Moral Letters to Lucilius – Letters from a Stoic Lucius Annaeus Seneca On Benefits (Perfect Library) Of Clemency (Perfect Library) Of Consolation to Helvia Of a Happy Life (Perfect Library) Of Peace of Mind