Clitomachus

Clitomachus (born Hasdrubal, c. 187/6 BC in Carthage – died c. 110/09 BC in Athens) was a Greek philosopher from Carthage who became a prominent figure in Hellenistic Athens. He arrived in Athens in 163/2 BC, at the age of about 24, to study philosophy under Carneades. As an adherent of Academic skepticism, he followed his master's teachings closely. Clitomachus rose to become the head (scholarch) of the Platonic Academy around 127/6 BC, succeeding Carneades. He continued to teach in Athens until at least 111 BC. His literary output was prolific, with sources mentioning as many as 400 scrolls. However, none of his writings have survived directly; our knowledge of them comes from secondary sources, particularly the works of Cicero and Sextus Empiricus, who had access to them. Clitomachus' primary goal in writing was to disseminate and defend the philosophical views of Carneades, and he is not known to have deviated from his teacher's doctrines. A notable work mentioned is one written to console his fellow Carthaginians after the destruction of their city in 146 BC during the Third Punic War. Cicero reported that this work was based on a discourse by Carneades and aimed to show how philosophy could offer solace even in the face of extreme calamity. Cicero also drew upon a work by Clitomachus titled *On the Withholding of Assent* (Latin: *De Sustinendis Adsensionibus*) for his own philosophical treatises, including *De Natura Deorum*, *De Divinatione*, and *De Fato*. Clitomachus also likely discussed the history of philosophical schools in his work *On the Schools of Thought* (Greek: περί αἱρέσεων). His engagement with prominent Romans like Gaius Lucilius and Lucius Marcius Censorinus suggests his works were recognized and valued in Rome.