Timetable Of The Epicurean World

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  • Based on information originally put together by Don and Nate, this is an effort to "pretty it up" into a Table form which we can reference more easily and update collaboratively. If you have suggestions please place them in the comments below. If you'd like to do more extensive editing and don't have write access, please contact Cassius.

    Green is for Epicurean. Red is for non-Epicurean. Blue is for "events."

    Approximate Date Person Or EVent SignificanceNOTES
    535 - 475 BCE Heraclitus of Ephesus (60) - 1235-1295
    500 – 428 BCE Anaxagoras (72); 1270-1342
    494 – 434 BCE Empedocles (60); 1276-1336
    470 – 399 BCE Socrates (~71); 1300-1371
    460 – 370 BCE Democritus Early atomist(~90) 1310-1400
    428 – 348 BCEPlato (1342-1422
    384–322 BCE Aristotle (62)
    360 – 270 BCE Pyrrho
    341–270 BCE Epicurus Founder of the Garden
    340 – 285 BCE Polyaenus of Lampsacus Noted For His Knowledge of Geometry(~55)
    334 –262 BCE Zeno of Citium  1436-1508
    331 - 278 BCE Metrodorus of Lampsacus
    325- 250 BCE Hermarchus (scholarch of the Garden)
    320 – 268 BCE) Colotes of Lampsacus
    ??? - 218/9 BCE Polystratus (scholarch of the Garden)
    ??? - 205 BCE Dionysius of Lamptrai (scholarch of the Garden)
    250 – 175 BCE Basilides (scholarch of the Garden)
    279 – 206 BCE Chrysippus
    250 -_ 200 BCE Apollodorus (scholarch of the Garden)
    150 – 75 BCE Zeno of Sidon (scholarch of the Garden)
    138 – 70 BCE Phaedrus (scholarch of the Garden) Epicurean teacher of CIcero (?)
    105 -- 40 BCE Patro (scholarch of the Garden) contemporary of Cicero
    110 – 35 BCE Philodemus
    106 – 43 BCE Marcus Tullius Cicero
    100 – 44 BCE Julius Caesar Epicurean tendencies but full views unclear.
    86 -- 42 BCE Gaius Cassius Longinus One of the "liberators" and corresponded with Cicero on Epicurean philosophy
    99 – 55 BCE Titus Lucretius Carus Author of "On the Nature of Things"
    65 – 8 BCE Quintus Horatius Flaccus ("Horace") Backslid in later years but noted for his Epicurean ideas earlier in life.
    0 CE ******************* *************
    Seneca The Younger Stoic who frequently quoted Epicurus.
    46 – 119 CE Plutarch
    50 – 135 CE Epictetus
    79 CE Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius
    150 CE Diogenes of Oenoanda Erected the wall inscribed with Epicurean philosophy
    121 – 180 CE Marcus Aurelius
    125 – 180 CE Lucian of Samosata
    225 CE Diogenes Laërtius
    250 CE Athenaeus
    260 – 340 CE Eusebius

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Comments 2

November 4, 2023 at 6:57 PM

Should Lucretius have something mentioning his poem On The Nature of Things in the Significance section? Since we do for Diogenes of Oenoanda for his wall inscription. And probably mentioning how Lucretius's poem is the only (relatively) complete work of Epicurean philosophy from the ancient world.

For Julius Caesar, I'm not sure where I read it but I believe he disregarded the Ides of March warning because it was superstitious. Which would have been odd if he wasn't an Epicurean. Maybe it could be added in the Significance section? Not sure.

Also, Seneca The Younger isn't mentioned at all. Maybe we could say how he quoted Epicurus often and praised him despite not being an Epicurean himself, the same with Marcus Aurelius. Maybe not really significant though. Either way, he should be mentioned.
November 4, 2023 at 7:29 PM

Very good points!

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