ABSTRACT
This chapter explores leadership lessons exemplified in the life of Marcus Aurelius, who was the Roman Emperor reigning from 161 to 180 CE. He is regarded as the last of the Five Good Roman Emperors. From the early age of 12 years, Marcus Aurelius trained himself in the strict regimen of Stoic philosophy. Stoicism is a way of life that offers a set of personal virtues grounded in reality to help build resilience and thrive during the turbulent times. Stoicism was born in ancient Greece when its society was going through great transition and turmoil just like ours. This chapter draws primarily on Meditations, a book that was never intended for publication and is Marcus Aurelius’ only extant work. It includes Roman emperor’s intimate notes to himself on life and leadership. It is a wonder of wonders that this noblest of the emperors found time to jot down his thoughts in this personal journal under the grueling conditions of camp life on the Roman frontier! Here, then, we have the highest testimony in the form of lived wisdom of a major world leader who proved with his life example that “Even in a palace life may be led well” (Meditations, 5.16).
