The Garden of Egoists: a short introduction to Epicurus and Stirner

Federico Campagna — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 11:34:13 +0000

Historical conditions

Although Epicurus founded his famous school, ‘The Garden’, at the end of the 3rd century BC, it was only centuries later, at the apogee of the Roman Empire, that his message reached its maximum level of diffusion.

By the time Classical Antiquity started fading into Late Antiquity, the Epicurean school challenged the Stoics and few other philosophical and religious schools – among which the obscure middle-eastern cult of Christianity – for hegemony over mainstream philosophy throughout the Empire.

This might sound surprising, if we think that one of the main principles of Epicureanism was lathe biose (live in hiding). Yet, Epicureanism owed its success to the perfect timeliness of its message.

through europe - Epicureanism

The Garden of Egoists: a short introduction to Epicurus and Stirner