Epictetus

Date of Birth: c. 50 AD

Zodiac Sign: Unknown

Date of Death: c. 135 AD

Biography

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher born around 50 AD in Hierapolis, Phrygia (modern-day Pamukkale, Turkey). He was born a slave, and his early life was marked by hardship and servitude. He was owned by Epaphroditus, a wealthy freedman of Nero, who allowed him to pursue liberal studies. Epictetus eventually gained his freedom and began to study philosophy under Musonius Rufus. He became a prominent teacher of Stoicism in Rome until Emperor Domitian banished all philosophers from the city around 93 AD. Epictetus then moved to Nicopolis in Epirus (modern-day Preveza, Greece), where he established a philosophical school. His teachings were recorded and published by his pupil Arrian, and his works, particularly the “Discourses” and the “Enchiridion,” have had a lasting influence on both ancient and modern philosophy.

5 Interesting Facts about Epictetus

1. Epictetus was born a slave and later gained his freedom.

2. His teachings were primarily oral and were recorded by his student Arrian.

3. Epictetus emphasized the importance of focusing on what is within one’s control and accepting what is not.

4. He believed that philosophy should be practical and directly applicable to daily life.

5. Despite his personal hardships, Epictetus maintained that happiness is attainable through virtue and wisdom.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Epictetus

1. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”

2. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”

3. “Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.”

4. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

5. “No man is free who is not master of himself.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As a philosopher in ancient times, Epictetus did not accumulate wealth in the way modern figures do. His influence and legacy, however, are immeasurable.