Latest / Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History
Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic Emperor's Meditations Manuscript
How did the private writings of a Roman emperor survive for almost two millennia? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the textual transmission of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. They trace the journey from the emperor's deathbed in 180 CE, through the Byzantine manuscript tradition — including the lost archetype and the sole surviving 10th-century manuscript, Codex Palatinus Vaticanus Graecus 195 — to the first printed edition in 1559. The conversation delves into key figures like Thomas Gataker, whose 1652 edition with Latin translation and commentary became the standard, and…
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