Zeno of Citium

Biography

Zeno of Citium (c. 334–262 BCE) was a Greek philosopher best known as the founder of Stoicism, one of the most influential schools of Hellenistic philosophy. Born in Citium, a Greek city on the island of Cyprus, Zeno began his philosophical journey after a shipwreck left him stranded in Athens. Seeking wisdom, he studied under various philosophers, including the Cynics, Megarians, and Academics, before developing his own unique philosophical system.

Around 300 BCE, Zeno began teaching in the Stoa Poikile (“Painted Porch”) in Athens, from which the name Stoicism was derived. His philosophy centered on the pursuit of virtue, reason, and harmony with nature. He taught that the universe is governed by a rational divine order—often referred to as the Logos—and that true happiness (eudaimonia) comes from living in accordance with this rational order.

For Zeno, virtue—defined as wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance—was the only true good, while external things such as wealth, health, or fame were indifferent. He believed that human suffering arises not from external events but from false judgments about them. Therefore, by mastering one’s emotions and aligning one’s will with reason, a person could achieve inner peace and freedom from distress.

Zeno’s teachings emphasized self-control, moral integrity, and the acceptance of fate, ideas that resonated deeply in later Roman Stoicism, influencing great thinkers like Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius.

Zeno lived a life of simplicity and discipline, consistent with his teachings, and earned great respect in Athens for his virtue and wisdom. He died around 262 BCE, leaving behind a philosophical legacy that has endured for over two millennia.

Through Stoicism, Zeno of Citium taught that while we cannot control external events, we can control our responses—and in that lies the essence of freedom, strength, and tranquility.