Plutarch
of Chaeronea

Historian, philosopher, priest — and gossip columnist for the ancient world. Plutarch (c. 46–after 119 CE) gave us Parallel Lives, blending biography with moral philosophy, and Moralia, where he mused on everything from divine punishment to eating meat. A lover of virtue, a defender of Delphi, and a master of the anecdote, Plutarch made history human. He didn’t just write about great men — he invited us to judge them, with a raised eyebrow and a philosophical shrug.