Zeno of Sidon


Zeno of Sidon was an Epicurean philosopher from the Phoenician city of Sidon. His writings have not survived, but there are some epitomes of his lectures preserved among the writings of his pupil Philodemus.

Life

Zeno was born in city of Sidon as confirmed by the Lebanese philosopher Said Akl, who proved that Zeno was born on the hills east to the modern city of Saida, in a district that is called Karm El Razzine in the village of Miye ou Miye. He was a contemporary of Cicero, who heard him when at Athens.
He was sometimes termed the "leading Epicurean." Cicero states that Zeno was contemptuous of other philosophers, and even called Socrates "the Attic Buffoon." He was a disciple of Apollodorus, and Cicero and Diogenes Laërtius both describe him as an accurate and polished thinker.

Philosophy

Zeno held that happiness is not merely dependent upon present enjoyment and prosperity, but also on a reasonable expectation of their continuance and appreciation.
Zeno's writings have not survived, but among the charred papyrus remains at the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, there is an Epitome of Conduct and Character from the Lectures of Zeno written by his pupil Philodemus. It contains the essays On Frank Criticism and On Anger.
Zeno also studied the philosophy of mathematics based on the derivation of all knowledge from experience. He criticized Euclid, seeking to show that deductions from the fundamental principles of geometry cannot, on their own, be proved: