Every reign must submit to a greater reign.

In the vast theater of existence, no reign endures forever, for above every throne there rises a higher throne, and above every king a greater king. When Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the Stoic philosopher, declared, “Every reign must submit to a greater reign,” he spoke not only of earthly kingdoms, but of the eternal order that governs all life. His words remind us that all power is transient, and that even the mightiest rulers are but fleeting actors in the grand drama of the cosmos.

Reigns rise upon the strength of ambition and vision, yet they fall before forces greater than themselves—whether it be the judgment of time, the rebellion of peoples, or the unyielding hand of nature. The Roman Empire, which Seneca himself served as advisor to Emperor Nero, seemed unshakable in its glory. Yet Seneca, with a philosopher’s foresight, knew that even Rome’s greatness would one day bow before a higher reign: the march of history itself. This was not a prophecy of doom, but a lesson in humility for all who wield authority.

History bears countless examples of this truth. Consider the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, who once commanded nearly all of Europe. His reign was dazzling and swift, built upon the fire of his genius and ambition. But when he set himself against the vastness of Russia and the combined will of other nations, he met a force greater than his own. In the snows of Moscow and the plains of Waterloo, his empire crumbled, proving that no matter how mighty a ruler may seem, there is always a higher power that cannot be defied.

Yet Seneca’s wisdom reaches beyond politics and empires. Even the reign of mortality itself must one day yield to the reign of eternity. All things in life—wealth, fame, even the body itself—are under the dominion of forces we cannot see. The wise man understands this and bows willingly to the higher order, living with virtue rather than clinging desperately to temporal crowns. In this way, he becomes free, even as kingdoms rise and fall around him.

Let this teaching be carried into the hearts of all generations: pride blinds the ruler who believes his reign supreme, while humility grants sight to the one who knows he is but a servant of something greater. Whether that greater force is fate, the will of the people, or the divine, it is the unseen master to which all must bow. Thus, live and lead with reverence, remembering always that no earthly throne is eternal. Only by recognizing the greater reign can one rule wisely and leave behind a legacy that endures beyond the crumbling of empires.