Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living From Zeno to Marcus Aurelius

Death of Ptolemy III; accession of Ptolemy IV Philopator

Sphaerus follows Cleomenes to Alexandria by invitation of Philopator

214

Carneades, the great Academic skeptic, born in Cyrene (modern-day Libya)

206

Death of Chrysippus in Athens; Zeno of Tarsus succeeds him as fourth scholarch of the Stoa

185

Birth of Panaetius in Rhodes, who would become the seventh and last scholarch of the Stoa

168

Romans defeat Perseus of Macedon, last of the Antigonids, in the Third Macedonian War, occupying Greece and Macedon

Crates of Mallus, a Stoic teacher and head of the Library of Pergamum, is sent by the Attalid king (allies of Rome) on a mission to Rome

158

Birth of Publius Rutilius Rufus

155

Greek philosophy comes to Rome when Athens sends ambassadors from the major schools—Carneades (Academy head), Critolaus (Lyceum head), and Diogenes (Stoa head)—to appeal imposed fine

149–146

Scipio’s siege of Carthage

144

Panaetius goes to Rome

142

Death of Diogenes of Babylon; succeeded by Antipater of Tarsus, sixth scholarch of the Stoa

140–138

Panaetius joins Scipio Aemilianus in his mission to the East

140

Archedemus of Tarsus founds a Stoic school in Babylon

138

Rutilius Rufus studies with Panaetius in Rome

135

Birth of Posidonius, the great polymath and disciple of Panaetius, in Apamea, Syria

133

Attalid dynasty cedes all territory to Rome

Death of Tiberius Gracchus and trial of Gaius Blossius, student and friend of Antipater of Tarsus

129

Death of Antipater of Tarsus; succeeded by Panaetius in Athens

Death of Scipio Aemilianus (Scipionic Circle)

Gaius Blossius commits suicide after participating in Aristonicus’s failed utopian coup against Rome in Pergamum (132–129)

Death of Carneades, head of the Academy

110

Epicurean philosopher Philodemus born in Gadara, Syria

109

Death of Panaetius in Athens; end of scholarchy, rival teachers carry on Stoic teachings

106

Birth of Cicero

100

Diotimus forges letters of Epicurus

95

Birth of Cato the Younger

88–86

Beginning of First Mithridatic War; Sulla’s siege of Athens, scattering of the major schools. Philo of Larissa becomes Cicero’s teacher in Rome.

86

Cicero’s first book, De Inventione (On Rhetorical Invention), completed

79

Cicero visits Rhodes, where he first studies with Posidonius

78

Cicero visits Rutilius Rufus in Smyrna; Rutilius dies not long after

74

Birth of Athenodorus Cananites near Tarsus, Cilicia, a Stoic teacher of Octavian

70

Birth of Porcia Cato

Birth of Arius Didymus?

60

Stoic teacher Diodotus dies in Cicero’s home, leaving him his estate

56

Cicero completes De Oratore (On Oratory)

55

Cicero “feasts on the library of Faustus Sulla” near his villa in Cumae, part of the war booty of Sulla’s siege of Athens, containing the library of Aristotle among other works

54

Cicero beginsDe Re Publica(On the Republic); publishes in 51 BC

51

Death of Posidonius; Cicero beginsDe Legibus(On Laws)

46