1001Philosophers

Diogenes of Babylon c. 230 BC – c. 150 BC

Diogenes of Babylon (c. 230 BC – c. 150 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Stoicism, Hellenistic, and Ancient Greek Philosophy.

Diogenes of Babylon, also called Diogenes the Stoic, was a Greek philosopher, the head of the Stoic school after Chrysippus, and one of the three philosophers, with the Academic Carneades and the Peripatetic Critolaus, who took part in the famous philosophical embassy to Rome in 156-155 BC. His writings on logic, rhetoric, music, and ethics, preserved only in fragments and citations, helped to fix the orthodox Stoic doctrine for the next century and to introduce Stoicism to Roman intellectual life. His pupils included Antipater of Tarsus and Panaetius, who would carry the Stoic tradition into the late Republic.

Key facts

Nationality
Greek
Era
Ancient
Movements
Stoicism, Hellenistic, Ancient Greek Philosophy

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Diogenes of Babylon:

    “Music does not merely entertain; it forms the soul into a likeness of itself.”

  • Attributed to Diogenes of Babylon:

    “The first task of the philosopher is to learn the names of things rightly.”

  • Attributed to Diogenes of Babylon:

    “The good is not in things outside us, but in the rational use we make of them.”

  • Attributed to Diogenes of Babylon:

    “He who has assimilated the doctrine of the Stoa is at home in any city.”

  • Attributed to Diogenes of Babylon:

    “Rhetoric, severed from philosophy, is flattery; joined to philosophy, it is persuasion.”

Frequently asked about Diogenes of Babylon

When did Diogenes of Babylon live?
Diogenes of Babylon was born in c. 230 BC and died in c. 150 BC.
Where was Diogenes of Babylon from?
Diogenes of Babylon was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
What philosophical movements is Diogenes of Babylon associated with?
Diogenes of Babylon was associated with Stoicism, Hellenistic, and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
What was Diogenes of Babylon known for?
Diogenes of Babylon, also called Diogenes the Stoic, was a Greek philosopher, the head of the Stoic school after Chrysippus, and one of the three philosophers, with the Academic Carneades and the Peripatetic Critolaus, who took part in the famous philosophical embassy to Rome in 156-155 BC.
How many quotes are attributed to Diogenes of Babylon?
There are 5 attributed quotations from Diogenes of Babylon in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.