~ 170 AD ~
Meditations is a collection of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Emperor from AD 161-180, chronicling his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Divided into 12 books, the writings discuss themes like the importance of intellectual and ethical self-analysis, self-improvement, and developing a cosmic perspective. Written in Koine Greek, large portions of the work were written in Sirmium and Aquincum when Aurelius planned military campaigns. Although never intended to be published, Meditations was first mentioned in the early 10th century, and there are now many translations of the work. It has been revered for centuries for its profound philosophical insights.