moderatio

Moderatio is a Latin noun meaning moderation, restraint, or temperance. It derives from moderatus, meaning restrained or measured, itself from modus, meaning measure or limit. In classical Latin, moderatio denotes the virtue of keeping one’s desires and passions within appropriate bounds and avoiding both excess and deficiency.

In Roman ethical thought, moderatio is often linked with other virtues such as prudentia (prudence) and fortitudo (courage), and is treated as a general principle of self-government and prudent action rather than a single isolated habit. It encompasses temperance in appetite, measured speech, and restrained ambition, reflecting a balanced approach to action and judgment. Roman writers such as Cicero discuss moderatio as part of virtus, the broader conception of moral excellence.

Scholars frequently relate moderatio to the broader Greek tradition of moral virtue, particularly the idea of living by the mean (mesotes) and the ideal of soundness of mind (sophrosyne). In late antiquity and medieval Christian thought, moderatio is invoked as prudent restraint in personal conduct, social relations, and ascetic practice, opposing zeal without measure.

In modern usage, moderatio is commonly rendered as moderation or temperance and is applied to discussions of political compromise, balanced policy, and temperate rhetoric. The term remains a general descriptor for disciplined restraint across domains of behavior and judgment, rather than a fixed doctrine.

See also: temperantia, sophrosyne, mesotes, virtus, prudentia.