Epictetus
50 – 135 Greek philosopher
The former slave who became one of the great Stoic teachers.
- Religion
- Stoicism, holding that a rational providence governs the world and that the divine is within reason.
- Affiliations
- Founded a Stoic school at Nicopolis. Born a slave. No secret society.
Epictetus taught that we cannot control events, only our judgments about them, and that freedom lies there. His lessons, written down by a student as the Discourses and Enchiridion, made Stoicism a guide for daily life. Marcus Aurelius and modern cognitive therapy both owe him a debt.
Connections
- influenced Marcus Aurelius — The emperor cited Epictetus as a chief influence on his Meditations.
In the timeline
- 125 Epictetus and the Enchiridion central figure