Seneca on Trial: The Case of the Opulent Stoic

February 8, 2025 | 694 words | 4min read

Paper Title: Seneca on Trial: The Case of the Opulent Stoic
Link to Paper: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3294099
Date: 2001
Paper Type: Philosophy, stoic, seneca
Short Abstract:
In his paper, the author argues that the Stoic philosopher Lucius Seneca was wrongly accused of hypocrisy by his enemies, resulting in a negative portrayal of him.

Seneca on Trial

Throughout history, many have attacked Seneca for being a hypocrite, claiming that his actions were inconsistent with his words. However, this accusation is purely conjectural, lacking credible evidence.

The primary criticism concerns his monetary practices. Seneca, as a prominent figure of Stoicism, preached its principles, yet at the same time, he was a millionaire.

That Seneca was wealthy is undisputed, as multiple sources confirm it. What is contested, however, is whether his wealth was ill-gotten.

The claim that Seneca was a hypocrite originates from P. Suillius in 58 AD, who was angered by Seneca’s proposal to prohibit public servants from demanding higher pay. Among Suillius’ most significant accusations was:

“Moreover, what philosophy, what intellectual genius, had spurred Seneca, within the span of a mere four years, to amass 300,000,000 sesterces? And why had so many testaments irresistibly been drawn in his favor? What doctrine inspired him to lend money to Italy and the provinces at such exorbitant interest?”

As Suillius had hoped, his attack weakened Seneca’s power and influence. In fact, his assault was so successful that, even 2,000 years later, this belief still persists.

For example, 200 years later, Dio Cassius embellished the story and wrote:

• Although he constantly criticized the wealthy, Seneca was preoccupied with acquiring 300,000,000 sesterces. Moreover, he insisted on possessing 500 citrus-wood tables, each supported by ivory legs, and used them for his banquets.
• Seneca’s usury not only drained the provinces but also incited rebellion in Britain. He had forced a loan of 40,000,000 sesterces upon the unwilling islanders, only to demand its full repayment with sudden harshness.

Examining the Accusations

To assess the validity of these claims, we must examine Seneca’s accuser. What became of Suillius after accusing Seneca? Suillius was later tried for numerous murders committed under Emperor Claudius. He defended himself by claiming he had acted on imperial orders, but Nero found no records to support this. Suillius then shifted the blame to Claudius’ wife. Eventually, he was convicted and exiled.

Was Suillius unfairly judged due to Seneca’s influence? The historian Tacitus describes Suillius as a man devoid of morality, who enriched himself by making false accusations against his contemporaries.

Thus, the only sources supporting the accusations against Seneca are highly unreliable. Unfortunately, no other records exist. But we can imagine how different our perception of figures like Socrates and Plato would be if the only surviving accounts came from Aristophanes, who famously mocked them as fools in his plays.

Seneca’s Wealth and Stoicism

It is impossible to determine Seneca’s exact wealth or how he accumulated it. However, it is well known that his family was already wealthy, from whom he inherited much. Additionally, he was a skilled orator—so skilled that even Emperor Caligula envied him—which could have contributed to his wealth. Lastly, Nero himself bestowed great riches upon Seneca.

Seneca defended himself, stating:

“Without wrong done to anyone, without resorting to base sources of gain; the expenditure of it will be as honorable as was its acquisition; it will cause no man to groan except the malicious.”

Critics of Seneca trust more in the slander of Suillius and Dio than in the accounts of the historian Tacitus or the writings of Seneca himself, who was both a philosopher and a statesman.

Although Seneca was a Stoic, it is important to understand that for the Stoics, wealth is not inherently evil. They taught that everything besides virtue is “indifferent”—meaning it has no moral weight in itself. However, among indifferent things, there are those that are “preferred,” such as health and wealth, which offer advantages, and those that are “dispreferred,” such as illness and poverty.

Seneca himself argued that wealth, rather than poverty, provides greater opportunities to display diligence and magnanimity, thereby fostering virtue. He may have possessed great riches, but he bore the gifts of fortune gracefully, without being enslaved by them.