Rome’s Iron Woman: The Life of Porcia Cato
Women can be Stoics too
When it comes to Stoicism, there are many stereotypes about the philosophy and one of the most common is that it’s exclusively for old or privileged white men. That’s not the case at all.
A cosmopolitan worldview, Stoicism is for men, women, and people of all backgrounds and creeds. In particular, women have been key to growing the philosophy through history and there are many Stoic women today who’re doing wonderful things to change perceptions.
Modern women who come to mind include Brittany Polat, Eve Riches, Kathryn Koromilas, Sharon Lebell, and countless more whose voices are worth hearing.
Going back to the ancient world, less has been written about female Stoics. A figure who does stand out is Porcia Cato, the daughter of Cato The Younger.
There are several powerful life lessons to learn from Porcia and in writing this, I’m keenly aware that it’s from a male perspective.
The purpose of this article is to provide a nuanced overview of a woman rich in spirit and motivation from the sources that are available.
What was Porcia Cato?
Born in 73 BC to Cato and his first wife Atilia, much of what we know about Porcia comes from Plutarch. The…
