Book Description

Between 100 BC and 200 AD Rome took up the ongoing philosophy of the Greeks. The extraordinary wealth of ideas is reflected in the four main schools, Platonists, Aristotelians, Stoics and Epicureans, while there are also Pythagoreans who blend with the Platonists there are Pyrrhonian sceptics and there are Cynics who cannot easily be called a school. Then there are the individuals who call for separate treatment. These include Cicero Philo of Alexandria - a commentator on the books of Moses in the Old Testament - and two of the West's greatest-ever scientists, Ptolemy in astronomy and Galen in medicine.There were major new developments in all the schools but despite its importance the large number of schools and individuals has itself helped make this the least accessible period of Western ancient philosophy. So has the very large volume of texts available.These two volumes now provide the first overall guide to the developments of this key period in Western philosophy. The volumes include detailed analysis of individuals and schools as well as surviving texts. It provides an essential overview for all interested in the philosophy of the past and of our own times. Greek & Roman philosophy 100 BC - 200 AD is based on the work of the major international conference held at the Institute of Classical Studies in London in 2004