PANAETIUS

Panaetius was an important Stoic philosopher of the Hellenistic era, born around 185 BC in Rhodes and dying around 110/109 BC in Athens.

Biography and philosophical career
• He studied under important Stoic philosophers such as Diogenes of Babylon and Antipater of Tarsus.
• He taught in Rome, where he became associated with Scipio Africanus and systematically introduced Stoic philosophy to the Roman world.
• After Scipio's death, he returned to Athens and became the head of the Stoa, its last undisputed leader.

Philosophical views
• He belongs to the so-called Middle Stoicism, a phase characterized by influences from Platonic and Aristotelian thought.
• He disagreed with certain orthodox Stoic doctrines, such as the periodic destruction of the world (ekpyrosis), astrology and divination.
• He was influenced by Plato and Aristotle in the two-part division of the soul (rational and irrational parts).
• He developed a more practical and progressive ethic, recognizing the value of "duties" (right but not perfect actions) for those who are not wise.

Work
His best-known work was On Duties, which was a source for Cicero in De Officiis. He also wrote On Socrates and the Socratic Discourses, all written in Rome.