Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman. He is best known for his dramatic plays and philosophical works that include some of the most important writings on stoicism. On the Shortness of Life was written in his later years as a letter to his brother. This age-old wisdom is as applicable to us in our lives today as it was when Seneca wrote it in Imperial Rome. Now more than ever society is desperate for Stoics, people of personal virtue and ethics. Seneca is regarded as one of the most influential stoics in history, second only to Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Trained and educated in Rome, schooled in rhetoric and philosophy, Seneca went on to a career on politics and law. The foreward tells of his impact on many people known today.