Douglas Stones

Epictet's Manual Douglas Stones

Epictet was a Greek philosopher, belonging to the Estonian School, who lived most of his life as a slave in Rome. From his teachings an "Enchyridion", or "Manual", and some speeches, edited by his disciple, Flavio Arriano, are preserved. His name comes from the Greek, "epiktetos," which means "acquired" or "bought. His name at birth is, unfortunately, unknown. Epictet was born in 55 A. D. in Heliopolis, Phrygia (currently Pamukkale, Turkey). During his childhood he arrived in Rome as the slave of the freed Epictet, who had served as the slave of Emperor Nero. Thanks to Epictet, Epictet studied with the stoic philosopher Musonio Rufo. The date of the manumission (legal release) of Epicteto is uncertain. What is known is that around A. D. 93 he was exiled, together with other philosophers residing in Rome, by Emperor Domitian. He then went to Nicopolis, in northwest Greece, where he opened his own school. Among the Romans who, despite his exile, sought him out as a master was Flavio Arriano, who would become the historian of Alexander the Great, and who would keep the texts with his teacher's teachings in the work "Discursos de Epicteto. Epictet died in Nicopolis in 135 AD.