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The Stoic Opposition is the name given to a group of Stoicism philosophers who actively opposed the autocratic rule of certain emperors in the 1st-century, particularly Nero and Domitian. Most prominent among them was Thrasea Paetus, an influential Roman senator executed by Nero. They were held in high regard by the later Stoics Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Thrasea, Rubellius Plautus and Barea Soranus were reputedly students of the famous Stoic teacher Musonius Rufus and as all three were executed by Nero they became known collectively as the Stoic martyrs.Dillon, J.T., Musonius Rufus and Education in the Good Life (2004), p. 52
In recent years this idea of a coherent Stoic opposition has been criticized. (2025). 9781441120526, A&C Black. ISBN 9781441120526 It has been noted that surviving Stoic texts say relatively little about political theory, beyond the desire for a well-run state. Many of the figures named in the Stoic opposition were part of the Senatorial class who were vulnerable to imperial authority, and desired the restoration of their own power and privilege. Many people were undoubtedly persecuted for whom there was little to no evidence of an adherence to Stoicism. Against these views it has been noted that the Stoics emphasized morally correct behaviour (virtue) as the only true good; whereas any form of morally deplorable behaviour was considered the only true evil. Stoic doctrine favoured an active engagement in political life, and certainly acted as support for political opponents during the period.
In 65 AD one of Nero's secretaries named Epaphroditus, the owner of Epictetus, reported the Pisonian conspiracy to Nero, and was greatly rewarded for doing so. The aftermath saw Seneca and his nephew Lucan both separately forced to commit suicide. (1997). 9780198150671, Clarendon Press. ISBN 9780198150671 Musonius Rufus, who had returned to Rome following the death of Plautus, was once again exiled, apparently for his fame as teacher of philosophy. This time he was exiled to the island of Gyaros, where he worked the soil with the students who had accompanied him into exile.
Around 66 AD, Thrasea Paetus, an influential Roman senator and like Plautus a friend and follower of Musonius Rufus, was placed on trial for treason. Thrasea's crime was a campaign of abstention which included: general non-attendance at the Roman Senate; non-participation in the senatorial oath to the Emperor at the beginning of each year; evading the priestly oath for the emperor, even while holding a priesthood; absenting himself from the vote of divine honours to Poppaea, nor attending her funeral; and never offering a sacrifice for the welfare of the emperor. According to Tacitus, Nero's hostility to Thrasea was stirred-up by Cossutianus Capito who specifically attacked Thrasea because he was a Stoic, a sect hostile to autocracy and which openly disapproved of the Emperor's conduct:
Thrasea was sentenced to death. His friend Arulenus Rusticus was Tribune of the plebs at this time and offered to place his [[veto]] upon the ''senatus consultum'', but Thrasea prevented him as he would only have brought certain destruction upon himself without saving Thrasea.(2025). 9780307743749, Vintage Books. ISBN 9780307743749Thrasea's son-in-law Helvidius Priscus, and his friend Paconius Agrippinus, were put on trial at the same time as Thrasea; both men were prominent Stoics and both were sentenced to exile. Agrippinus was later praised by Epictetus for the imperturbility in which he accepted his sentence.Epictetus, ''Discourses'', i.1.28–30
Another Stoic follower of Musonius Rufus, Barea Soranus (a distant relative of later Emperor Marcus Aurelius), was also put on trial in 65 or 66. He was charged with friendship with Rubellius Plautus and with popularity hunting whilst proconsul of Asia with an intent of stirring revolt. His daughter, Servilia, was also accused of having consulted a sorcerer ( magi) and was tried together with her father. Both were condemned to death (in 65 or 66), and allowed to commit suicide.
Publius Egnatius Celer was the Stoic teacher, who taught and then was paid off to make false accusations against Barea Soranus. He was later accused by Musonius Rufus, the teacher of Epictetus, whom scholars believe to be alluding to the incident in this passage:
Thus a friend is overpowered by the testimony of a philosopher: thus a philosopher becomes a parasite; thus he lets himself for hire for money: thus in the senate a man does not say what he thinks; in private (in the school) he proclaims his opinions.Epictetus, Discourses, 4.1
Although Vespasian tried to present himself as a merciful ruler, he faced opposition from Helvidius Priscus who opposed imperial power, denounced kingship and hereditary succession, and was a fierce proponent of senatorial rights. (2025). 9789004111882, Brill. ISBN 9789004111882 Helvidius was eventually executed by Vespasian. Epictetus praised Priscus for defying Vespasian's order that he should not go into the Senate.Epictetus, Discourses, i.2.19–21
When I was once lecturing in Rome, that famous Rusticus, whom Domitian later killed through envy at his repute, was among my hearers, and a soldier came through the audience and delivered to him a letter from the emperor. There was a silence and I, too, made a pause, that he might read his letter; but he refused and did not break the seal until I had finished my lecture and the audience had dispersed. Because of this incident everyone admired the dignity of the man.
Likewise Priscus' widow, Fannia, the daughter of Thrasea, requested that Herennius Senecio compose a panegyric in praise of her deceased husband, using copies of his diaries that she possessed. This led to the execution of Senecio and the exile of Fannia. Helvidius the younger, on the other hand, wrote a play about Paris and Oenone that was interpreted as a satire on the marriage of Domitian and his wife Domitia Longina, and was likewise sentenced to death. (2025). 9789004111882, Brill. ISBN 9789004111882
Domitian was suspicious of dissent from the philosophical schools: he had apparently expelled philosophers in 88/9 and did so again in 93/4 when he expelled the philosophers not only from the city of Rome but from all of Italy. (2025). 9781134853120, Routledge. ISBN 9781134853120 (2025). 9781624661167, Hackett. ISBN 9781624661167 The most famous of the expelled philosophers was Epictetus who moved to Nicopolis, in Greece, where he set up his successful school, and became one of the most famous Stoic philosophers. As mentioned above, Epictetus had been owned by Epaphroditus, the secretary of Nero who reported the Pisonian Conspiracy to Nero, which led to a purge. In the Discourses, Epictetus repeatedly praises Paconius Agrippinus and Helvidius Priscus, prominent members of the Stoic Opposition, to his Stoic students and encourages them to follow their moral example.Epictetus, Discourses, 1.1, 1.2
... that through him I came to know Thrasea, Helvidius, Cato, Dio, Brutus, and to conceive the idea of a balanced constitution, and of government founded on equity and freedom of speech, and of a monarchy which values above all things the freedom of the subject.Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 1.14
The Dio referred to in this passage may be Dio Chrysostom, a Stoic-influenced rhetorician and student of Musonius Rufus, who was banished from Rome by Emperor Domitian in 82 AD for advising one of his relatives. He was good friends with Nerva and returned to Rome when he was acclaimed emperor. He was also friends with the Stoic philosopher Euphrates of Tyre, a fellow-student of Musonius Rufus.
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