Zeno of Tarsus

Zeno of Tarsus was a Hellenistic philosopher from Tarsus, who flourished around 200 BC. He was the son of Dioscorides and a student of Chrysippus. Upon Chrysippus's death around 206 BC, Zeno succeeded him to become the fourth scholarch, or head, of the Stoic school in Athens. His tenure as scholarch lasted until an unknown date, and he was eventually succeeded by Diogenes of Babylon. Little is recorded about Zeno's specific philosophical contributions. He is described as having written very few books, though he had a considerable number of disciples. According to Philodemus, Zeno authored a work titled "Against Hieronymus," which rebutted the opinions of the Peripatetic philosopher Hieronymus of Rhodes. While generally considered an orthodox Stoic, Zeno is noted for a deviation from the standard Stoic physical theory. He reportedly doubted the doctrine of the conflagration of the universe (ekpyrosis), the idea that the cosmos periodically dissolves into fire. This suggests a degree of independent thought within the Stoic framework. The exact dates of his life and death are not known, making it difficult to pinpoint the precise duration of his leadership or his philosophical development. His legacy is primarily as a successor to Chrysippus and a teacher of future Stoics.