The Corn-Sale Dilemma was included in Cicero’s philosophical work De Officiis, aka On Duties. It was written in 44 BC, specifically addressing his son Marcus. It deals with problems of moral behaviour, drawing on the opinions of different sects of ancient philosophy. The Corn-Sale Dilemma exemplifies the main problem of the treatise, namely, finding the right balance between what is “honourable” (honestum) and what is useful. The passage may read like a page from a course on Business Ethics, but
Stoicism made the transition from an intriguing foreign philosophy to a popular practice because it was taken up by several high profile figures. Scipio Africanus, the original esteemed Roman Stoic died in 129 BCE, but about 40 years later a new crop of celebrated Romans took up the Stoic practice. During the fall of the Roman Republic a group of famed orators, generals, and statesmen including Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BCE), Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE), Pompey the Great (106-48 BCE), and
Who is Marcus Aurelius? What did he do to make his mark in the pages of history? Why did the people of Rome respect and admire him? To the common person, Marcus was just a man who was an emperor of Rome and just another person who helped shaped this world. Marcus Aurelius was more than that! Anthony Birley writes, “The acquaintance of a man like Marcus Aurelius is an imperishable benefit.” The character of Marcus Aurelius is truly special, but was molded by many important people and figures