Seneca was born Lucius Annaeus Seneca, often referred to as Seneca the Younger to distinguish him from his father, also named Seneca. He was a Roman philosopher, statesman, and tragedian who lived during the 1st century AD. Born into an equestrian family in Corduba, Spain, Seneca's parents moved him to Rome when he was quite young for education purposes.
Seneca was known for his writings on Stoic philosophy, which emphasize virtues such as wisdom, justice, courage, and self-discipline. He wrote extensively on a variety of topics including ethics, logic, physics, and epistemology. Some of his most famous works include 'On Anger', 'Meditations', and 'Letters from a Stoic'.
Throughout his political career, Seneca held several offices under Emperor Claudius, eventually serving as the praetor, a high-ranking magistrate. However, he fell out of favor with Nero, who suspected him of involvement in a plot to overthrow him. Despite being cleared of these charges later on, Seneca chose exile over further conflict with the emperor.
In 65 AD, Seneca was once again accused by Nero of taking part in a conspiracy against him. This time, he was ordered to commit suicide, which he did peacefully at the age of around seventy-four, leaving behind an extensive body of philosophical works that continue to influence scholars and readers today.
The name Seneca experienced significant popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s, peaking at 179 births in 1977. However, it declined thereafter, reaching a low of 8 births in 1992. Since then, the name's popularity has fluctuated but remained relatively stable, with an average of around 20 births per year from 2000 onwards. As of 2023, a total of 1719 babies named Seneca have been born since 1975.