Epictetus

Epictetus
Artistic impression of Epictetus, including his crutch
Born	c. 50 AD Hierapolis, Phrygia (presumed)
Died	AD 135 (aged 84–85) Nicopolis, Achaea
Era	Ancient philosophy
Region	Western Philosophy
School	Stoicism
Main interests	Ethics
Influences Musonius Rufus, Socrates, Diogenes, Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, Chrysippus, Hippocrates
Influenced Arrian, Junius Rusticus, Marcus Aurelius, Albert Ellis, Han Ryner,

Epictetus (/ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/;Greek: Ἐπίκτητος, Epíktētos; c. AD 50 – 135) was a Greek-speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey) and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion.

Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and dispassionately whatever happens. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.

Epictetus was born c. 50 A.D., presumably at Hierapolis, Phrygia. The name his parents gave him is unknown; the word epíktetos (ἐπίκτητος) in Greek simply means "gained" or "acquired"; the Greek philosopher Plato, in his Laws, uses the term as property that is "added to one's hereditary property". He spent his youth as a slave in Rome to Epaphroditos, a wealthy freedman and secretary to Nero.