5-4 B.C. - 65 A.D.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was born at Corduba 5-4 B.C. He lived in Rome from the time of a small child with his aunt. He studied rhetoric which was a natural step to a senatorial career. He married twice. He had one son with his 1st wife that died in infancy.
Seneca eventually was appointed tutor to Nero in 50 A.D. In 54 A.D. with Nero's accession, he became minister and in 55 and 56 A.D. he became a suffect consulate. This was the height of his influence. He retired in 64 A.D. and spent his time in Campania living leisurely. In 65 A.D., Seneca was named as a conspirator in a plot to overthrow Nero. He was forced to commit suicide. His 2nd wife, Pomeia Paulina, would have died with him except Nero intervened.
Throughout his lifetime Seneca wrote on many subjects in a many different styles: tragedy, science, philosophy, epigram, satire, letter and essay.
Information taken from The Oxford Classical Dictionary
| Copyright © 2008, KET |