Roman Stoicism as an Integration of Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

Abstract

The idea that a theoretical doctrine emerges first, being followed by the practice on the basis of it, is not quite correct, when being applied to the evolution of Stoa and the Stoic thought during the Roman period. The doctrine brought to Rome by Greek Stoics caused the mindset and lifestyle to appear, yet Late Stoa did not emerge prior to the Roman Stoicism, but rather followed it. Their mutual influence was conditioned by the fact that the Stoic ethics turned out to be congenial to the morality of the Roman civitas, thus leading to the popularity of the Stoic doctrine in Rome. The ideal of a Stoic sage overlapped with the ideal of “valiant man” in Roman mythos, eventually resulting in the emergence of “man of merit” and, later, “man of goodness” as the normative paradigm (vir bonus). The Roman Stoicism differed from the Greek Stoa in attaching more importance to responsibilities of a person towards state and society. At the same time, paradoxically, the character of the Roman Stoicism was more self-absorbed, addressing moral experiences and contemplation of the existential bases of the being of a human. This being said, the image of “masculine beauty” of the Stoic doctrine was manifested in moral-political realities of Ancient Rome not in “the art of life”, but in the acceptance of death. In our opinion, the utmost organic unity of the Stoical ethical tradition and the morality of the Roman Stoicism was achieved by Marcus Aurelius, and his philosophy was not as pessimistic as many researchers claim. His teachings present the synthesis of service to Rome and the world, theoretical virtues of Ancient Stoa and Roman civic duties, Stoic moralizing and moral practice.