Stoicism is one of the most influential and resilient philosophical traditions in human history, founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BCE. The school derives its name from the *Stoa Poikile* (Painted Porch), a public colonnade where Zeno and his followers gathered to debate and teach. The history of Stoicism is traditionally divided into three main phases: Early Stoicism, led by Zeno, Cleanthes, and Chrysippus, which laid down rigorous logical and physical foundations; Middle Stoicism, which bridged Greek thought with Roman culture; and Late (or Roman) Stoicism, the most famous and practical phase, where the philosophy became a spiritual refuge for individuals ranging from destitute slaves to powerful emperors. The prominent figures of this later phase include Seneca the Younger, a wealthy statesman and dramatist; Epictetus, who began life as a slave before becoming a preeminent teacher of ethics; and Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor whose private journal, *Meditations*, remains a timeless masterpiece of self-reflection. Philosophically, Stoicism posits that the universe is governed by a rational cosmic order (*Logos*). It teaches that human flourishing (*eudaimonia*) is achieved by living in accordance with nature, cultivating virtue as the sole ultimate good, mastering destructive emotions, and strictly distinguishing between things within our control and those outside our dominion.