Seneca the Younger was a playwright, essayist, lecturer (and tutor to the emperor Nero) who remains one of the most important Stoic philosophers. Emphasizing both theory and practical advice, Seneca's writing is perfectly suited to contemporary readers. He articulated the difficulties of living ethically and influenced many writers, including Marcus Aurelius, Michel de Montaigne, Dante Alighieri, Tertullian, Baruch Spinoza, and Edmund Burke.