Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium (c. 334 – c. 262 BC) was a Hellenistic philosopher, born in Citium, Cyprus. He is universally recognized as the founder of Stoicism, a school of thought that profoundly shaped ancient Greek and Roman intellectual life.

Zeno began teaching his philosophy in the Stoa Poikile, or Painted Porch, in the Athenian Agora. It was from this public colonnade that his followers, and the philosophy itself, derived the name "Stoics."

Central to Zeno's ethical teachings was the belief that the highest good for humans is virtue, which he defined as living in agreement with nature. This meant aligning one's actions and judgments with universal reason, or logos.

He advocated for the cultivation of apatheia, which is not modern apathy, but a state of freedom from disruptive passions like excessive pleasure, fear, and desire. Zeno believed these emotions clouded judgment and prevented rational living.

Zeno's Stoicism also encompassed a materialist physics, viewing the cosmos as a rational, ordered whole governed by a divine reason. This pantheistic outlook suggested that human reason was a a spark of this universal, divine fire.

Though less preserved than his ethics, Zeno also contributed to Stoic logic and epistemology. He explored the theory of impressions (phantasiai), distinguishing between mere sensory input and "cataleptic impressions," which were clear and certain and formed the basis of knowledge.

Zeno's philosophy had a profound and lasting influence on subsequent Greek and Roman thought, inspiring figures such as Seneca, Epictetus, and the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism offered a practical framework for achieving inner peace and moral resilience in a turbulent world.

His teachings emerged during a period of significant political and social upheaval following the conquests of Alexander the Great. Zeno's emphasis on individual moral autonomy and inner tranquility resonated deeply with people seeking stability amidst changing external circumstances.

Unfortunately, none of Zeno's original writings, which included works like his "Republic" and "On Human Nature," have survived intact. Our understanding of his philosophy comes primarily from later doxographers and commentators such as Diogenes Laërtius and Plutarch.