Donald Robertson On The Making of Verissimus, a Stoic Graphic Novel About Marcus Aurelius
Order a copy of Verissimus here
In our 3rd interview with Stoic author, philosopher and cognitive behavioural therapist, Donald Robertson, we discuss his brand new graphic novel, VERISSIMUS.
This is the most epic philosophical project that I am aware of to date.
If Ridley Scott's Gladiator had a baby with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, you’d get Verissimus.
As you’ll hear in this interview, this project was a massive undertaking, taking nearly 3 years to complete. Detailing the life, times, and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, the book acts as a historically accurate, action-packed entry point into the Stoic landscape.
In this episode, we cover:
- The process of creating this book
- Why Donald decided to make a graphic novel
- Why many Romans actually opposed Marcus Aurelius
- Marcus’ mission to cultivate natural compassion towards all human beings, even his worst enemies
- The absurdity of Stoicism’s most popular criticism
- Stoicism’s deep influence on early Christianity
- The relationship between intuition and reason
- Jon’s single favourite chapter on Stoicism
Links to Donald's Work:
Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, by Donald Robertson
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, by Donald Robertson