Plutarch

Plutarchs's (46-120 A.D.) epic chronicle of the lives of great Grecians and Romans....

Plutarch’s Lives remains one of the world’s most profoundly influential literary works. Written at the beginning of the second century, it forms a brilliant social history of the ancient world....

How to Have Willpower brings together two profound ancient meditations on how to overcome pressures that encourage us to act against our own best interests—Plutarch's essay On Dysopia or How to Resist Pressure and Prudentius's poetic allegory Psychomachia or How to Slay Your Demons.

Alexander is arguably one of the most notable Greek figures, immortalized in stories and legends that are commonly used in mythology classes today....

Cato the Younger was one of the many biographies documented by Plutarch in his series called Parallel Lives. Related to Cato the Elder, Cato the Younger was also a student of philosophy as well as a Roman Statesman....

In this biography, Plutarch states that Tiberius Gracchus was known more for his virtue than for his achievements. Tiberius’ virtue, and thus his legacy, lies in his actions as a reformer....

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus is a hotly debated Roman politician and statesman. His controversial warfare tactics, as described by Plutarch, are among the many influences for worldwide guerrilla warfare that can be seen today....

Plutarch's Life of Caesar deals with the best known Roman of them all, Julius Caesar, and his vivid narrative covers most of the major events of the last generation of the Republic, as well as painting an insightful picture of this man who sacrificed everything for power.

Plutarch’s Lives remains one of the world’s most profoundly influential literary works. Written at the beginning of the second century, it forms a brilliant social history of the ancient world....

Julius Caesar peaked as one of the most powerful generals in Roman history. In “The Life of Caesar", Plutarch attempts to capture the greatness of this man on paper. With stirring prose, he documents Caesar’s military might and rousing spirit....

Numa Pompilius was chosen by the senate to become Rome’s second king. Plutarch recounts the transition between Romulus’ mysterious death and the strategic emergence of Numa as the next king....

The life of Timoleon, as told by Plutarch in Parallel Lives, is a twisted and intriguing one. Deemed fiercely patriotic for helping plan the assassination of his tyrannical brother, Timoleon was multifaceted....

Agesilaus was a notable king of Sparta prior to the Athens-Spartan war. Although he won and lost many battles for the city, his legacy lived on. He was a short-statured, lame man who managed to rule an entire city-state - and many looked up to him after his death....

One of the many documented lives in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives series, The Life of Coriolanus looks into the controversial life of one of Rome’s most famous generals....

Though Sparta and Greece were once bitter rivals, this did not stop Plutarch from writing about Spartan figureheads in his book, Parallel Lives. Cleomenes was one of these Spartan figureheads - and was the King of Sparta for many years....

Conquering and blood money - without it, and without the help of Lucius Licinius Lucullus, the Roman empire would have been a lot different. Plutarch details Lucullus’ intense military life, through which he finds himself the head of much of Rome’s Eastern territories....

Pelopidas started out a hero to the people, being born under a noble family and making a name for himself as an athlete. But as Plutarch describes in Pelopidas’ chapter of Parallel Lives, there was a lot more to this man than could be seen....

Elected to the position of curule aedile after showing exceptional military valor, Marcellus went on to become one of Greece’s most sought-after warriors. Though his popularity never seemed to wane, it was ultimately that which he was best known for that took his life....

Smart, resourceful, and cruel - three words that might describe Titus Quinctius Flamininus, the subject of Plutarch’s The Life of Flaminius....

Philopoemen, whose father died when he was very young, was adopted by a notable Megalopolan figurehead and studied under the local Greek philosophers. He went on to advise and help defend Greece from Cleomenes III and the many people attempting to gain control of the powerful empire....