Who were the Roman philosophers, and what were their contributions to Western metaphysics?

Rome was home to many influential philosophers whose contributions greatly impacted Western metaphysics. These philosophers lived during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which spanned from 509 BC to 476 AD. Among the most notable Roman philosophers were:

• Lucretius, who is famous for his poem De Rerum Natura, which espouses Epicurean philosophy
• Cicero, who wrote extensively on ethics, politics, and rhetoric
• Seneca, who wrote on a wide range of subjects including ethics, Stoicism, and metaphysics
• Epictetus, who is best known for his work The Enchiridion, which is a concise manual on Stoic philosophy

The contributions of these philosophers to Western metaphysics are numerous. For instance, Lucretius' poem, De Rerum Natura, presented a materialistic view of the universe and challenged the dominant beliefs of the time. Cicero's works on ethics and politics influenced the development of the Western legal system, while Seneca's works on Stoicism have had a lasting impact on Western philosophy. Epictetus' Enchiridion is still widely read today and has influenced many thinkers in the West.