Verissimus The Stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome in the second century CE, ruled using the Stoic philosophy he spent his entire life studying. As ruler, he dealt with the steady barrage of enemy nations and a deadly plague, using all of his philosophical wisdom to overcome these obstacles. Robertson, himself a philosopher, writes a well-researched account (using mostly ancient sources) with plenty of detail. The text, in speech balloons and elsewhere, is plentiful and written in the first person, allowing readers to feel a connection to Aurelius' beliefs as well as his relationships with mentors, family, and advisors. As per the afterword, Robertson states that the dialogue is based on historical sources, including Aurelius' own private letters. Fraga's artwork is richly colored and textured, and the people are depicted with facial expressions befitting their emotions. Readers looking for other highly detailed and faithful historical graphic novels will enjoy Gareth Hinds' adaptations of The Odyssey (2010) and The Iliad (2019).

Psychotherapist Robertson (How to Think Like a Roman Emperor) overpacks this graphic history of Marcus Aurelius (121--180 CE). Marcus, renamed Verissimus (the most truthful) for his willingness to contradict a volatile Emperor Hadrian, grows up with a series of philosophical tutors. Disjointed scenes show Marcus grappling with stoicism to reign in his temper during his early adulthood as he is adopted by Hadrian, then as he marries and fathers multiple children. Pell-mell personal biography gives way to a swirl of battle scenes, political maneuvering, and a deadly plague that follows Marcus's ascension to emperor, but with scant framing details. Ruthlessly cruel general Avidius Cassius, whose own military career is told in scenes that interrupt the main flow, sparks a civil war, hoping to take advantage of a moment of Marcus in seeming physical decline. Robertson blends philosophical instruction with crises in Marcus's leadership (though some episodes, such as the cult of Glykon or the discovery of a dinosaur fossil, veer tangentially). Fraga's art is painterly but wrought with melodramatic expressions and gruesome tableaus, while showing an impressive ability to create images for the sometimes heady philosophical scenes. There's an ambitious attempt here at marrying biography, war history, and philosophical treatise, but somehow none get quite enough space to develop fully. Those new to Roman history are likely to get lost. (June)