Seneca was born sometime between 1 and 4 CE and died in 65 CE. He lived through the often violent and tumultuous reigns of some of the most notorious Roman emperors, including Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. After a childhood and youth marked by illness, Seneca began to achieve fame as an orator and writer in the 30s. He earned the enmity of Emperor Caligula, who mistrusted Seneca’s potential power. After Claudius became emperor in 41 CE, Seneca was accused of having an affair with a woman named Julia Livilla, who was Caligula’s sister and Claudius’s niece. Seneca was sentenced to exile, and spent the years 42-50 CE in Corsica. Seneca’s exile and enforced isolation may have influenced his portrayal of foreign characters like Medea, who lament and mourn for their homeland.

In 50 CE, Seneca was summoned back to Rome by Agrippina, who had just married Claudius and become the Empress of Rome. Agrippina—the sister of Julia Livilla—was the mother of the future Emperor Nero, and she wanted Seneca to tutor her son. Seneca became the tutor and close advisor of Nero, who became Emperor in 54. However, Nero became notorious for his volatile, dangerous, and self-indulgent behavior, leaving Seneca frequently torn between his own ethical and philosophical principles and the necessity of staying in Nero’s good graces.