I’m only interested in the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius because of his meditations. The things he wrote down for just himself to see are some of the most humbling passages I’ve ever come across. The exception to the rule that absolute power corrupts absolutely. A god to his people who paid a peasant to whisper in his ear to remind him he was just a man. Rome experienced a time of peace and prosperity under his rule without needless wars of conquest.

He was a good man and I aspire to be more like him.