Marcus Aurelius was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD. He was the last emperor during the Pax Romana, a time of peace and stability for the Roman Empire. He wrote
Meditations, one of the key texts of Stoic philosophy, while on campaign, as a way to foster his own self-improvement.
Seneca was a Stoic philosopher, statesman, and playwright. He was the tutor and advisor of Emperor Nero before he was forced to drink poison for allegedly having aided in an assassination attempt against the emperor. He is best known for his letters and essay on moral issues as well as his tragedies, including
Medea and
Phaedra.
Epictetus was born into slavery, but gained his freedom and became one of the primary thinkers in the Stoic tradition. The only record of his teachings comes via Arrian, his pupil, who recorded much of his philosophy and reasoning.