Project description
Innovative methodologies for early Stoicism studies
Our understanding of early Stoicism, one of the most important currents in Hellenistic philosophy, is based on fragments transmitted by the medieval manuscript tradition, the Herculaneum papyri, and indirect witnesses. These fragments were mainly collected in Hans von Arnim's Stoicorum Veterum Fragmenta (1903–1905). Funded by the European Research Council, the APATHES project aims to reconstruct this work through an innovative interdisciplinary methodology that integrates classical philology, the history of ancient philosophy, doxography, papyrology, epigraphy, and new technologies for deciphering ancient manuscripts. The project objectives are to produce a new critical edition of the majority of the fragments and testimonia, select and evaluate the sources, and revise some of the manuscripts. It will also develop new methodologies for reading and reconstructing the papyrological sources.
Objective
Alongside Epicurus’ school, Stoicism is the most important current of thought in Hellenistic philosophy. The first phase of this school extends from Zeno of Citium (334/333–262/261 BCE) to Chrysippus’ followers (viz. up to the end of the 2nd century BCE). Apart from some fragments transmitted by the medieval manuscript tradition and by the Herculaneum papyri, only indirect witnesses on the early Stoics remain today. The huge corpus of this material was collected mostly in Hans von Arnim’s Stoicorum Veterum Fragmenta (1903–05). Despite some partial attempts to correct and integrate this collection, von Arnim’s pioneering work is still the reference point in studies on early Stoicism. The present project aims to remake this work entirely, through an innovative, interdisciplinary methodology (incorporating classical philology, the history of ancient philosophy, doxography, papyrology and epigraphy, new technologies for deciphering ancient manuscripts), and will be divided into the following steps: 1. a new critical edition of most of the fragments and testimonia at issue; 2. a wider selection of the sources and a revision of some manuscripts; 3. a new methodology for reading and reconstructing the papyrological sources; 4. an innovative historico-philosophical methodology for commenting on and interpreting the extant sources; 5. the creation of a website, along with a digital database publication of partial and comprehensive outcomes for the project. The editions will be divided into four parts, focused on Zeno of Citium, the disciples of Zeno (including the heterodox Stoics), Chrysippus, and the disciples of Chrysippus, respectively. Each volume will be accompanied by commentaries also devoted to Stoic figures sometimes neglected in scholarship (e.g. Diogenes of Babylon). This project aims to revolutionize our knowledge of this fundamental phase of Hellenistic philosophy, by throwing new light on the history of ancient physics, logic, and ethics.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
10124 Torino
Italy