Timeline Of The Epicurean World

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  • Based on information originally put together by Don, this is an effort to "pretty it up" into a Table form which we can reference more easily.

    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; c.
    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
    (fl. early 1600s; fl. 2nd century 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 (?)
    (fl. early 1700s; contemporary of Cicero’s) Patro (scholarch of the Garden)
    110 – 35 BCE Philodemus
    106 – 43 BCE Marcus Tullius Cicero
    100 – 44 BCE Julius Caesar Epicurean tendencies but full views unclear.
    Gaius Cassius Longinus One of the "liberators" and corresponded with Cicero on Epicurean philosophy
    99 – 55 BCE Titus Lucretius Carus
    65 – 8 BCE Quintus Horatius Flaccus ("Horace") Backslid in later years but noted for his Epicurean ideas earlier in life.
    0 AD - Common Era ******************* *************
    46 – after AD 119 CE Plutarch
    50 – 135 CE Epictetus
    (wall dated around 1950s (mid-1900s); lived 2nd century CE) Diogenes of Oenoanda Erected the wall inscribed with Epicurean philosophy
    121 – 180 CE Marcus Aurelius
    125 – 180 CE Lucian of Samosata
    (fl. early-mid 2000s; fl. 1st half of 3rd century CE) Diogenes Laërtius
    (fl. late 20th/early 21st century; fl. late 2nd/early 3rd century CE) Athenaeus
    260 – 40 AD Eusebius

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Comments

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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