Most likely written between 170 and 180, Meditations is a remarkable work, a unique insight into one of the most conscientious and able Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius, who ruled at the apex of the empire's power. The work is a series of notes, written for its author's own improvement; it has no formal structure, and its arguments follow no obvious pattern. Yet its immediacy makes it one of the best and most accessible accounts of what is known as Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius's distinctive approach, and his belief that philosophy can serve as a practical way of living a more balanced life, chime perfectly with our modern-day concerns.