Krates of Tarsos

Krates von Tarsos ( Greek Κράτης Krátēs ; † 127/126 BC in Athens ) was an ancient Greek philosopher in the age of Hellenism . He confessed to Platonism .

Life

About the origin of the kratus is only known that it came from Tarsus in Asia Minor . He belonged to the Platonic Academy in Athens. This school of philosophy founded by Plato stood at the latest from 155 BC. Under the direction of Carnead , a famous philosopher.

At that time there was a tendency in the academy that is known as the “younger academy”. Their characteristic was skepticism , the fundamental doubt about the provability of philosophical statements. Karneades was a particularly high-profile representative of "academic skepticism". Krates was also certainly a skeptic, but nothing more is known about his philosophy and no writings from him have survived.

137/136 Karneades had to give up the office of Scholarchen (headmaster) for health reasons; allegedly he was blind. He handed over the management of the school to one of his students, Polemarchus of Nicomedia . When Polemarchus 131/130 died, Krates succeeded him. Karneades, who continued to have great authority, probably made use of his influence in arranging the succession.

The most famous student of Carnead, Kleitomachus , was no longer a member of the Academy at that time, but ran his own school of philosophy in Athens, possibly because he and his teacher had become estranged. When Karneades died in 129/128, Kleitomachos returned to the Academy after an absence of around eleven years. He was accompanied by many of his students; He apparently closed his own school.

The precise details of the sources do not reveal the details of Kleitomachos' return. Apparently he forcibly entered the academy and took a leading position there. Apparently, however, the incumbent scholarch Krates was not deposed or forced to resign, but at least remained nominally in office. When Krates died in 127/126, Kleitomachos formally took over the management of the academy.

Source collection

Hans Joachim Mette : Other academics today: From Lakydes to Kleitomachos . In: Lustrum 27, 1985, pp. 39–148 (compilation of source texts for Krates pp. 63–64, 142)

literature

Tiziano Dorandi : Cratès de Tarse . In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques , Vol. 2, CNRS Éditions, Paris 1994, ISBN 2-271-05195-9 , p. 495
Woldemar Görler : The academy between Karneades and Philon . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy . The philosophy of antiquity , volume 4: The Hellenistic philosophy , 2nd half volume, Schwabe, Basel 1994, ISBN 3-7965-0930-4 , pp. 898–914, here: 898–901

Remarks

↑ Diogenes Laertios 4.66.
↑ On these processes and their chronology see Tiziano Dorandi: Ricerche sulla cronologia dei filosofi ellenistici , Stuttgart 1991, pp. 11–16; John Glucker: Antiochus and the Late Academy , Göttingen 1978, p. 107 and note 33.

personal data
SURNAME	Krates of Tarsos
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	ancient Greek philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH	3rd century BC BC or 2nd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	127 BC BC or 126 BC Chr.
Place of death	Athens

[1] Diogenes Laertios 4.66.

[2] On these processes and their chronology see Tiziano Dorandi: Ricerche sulla cronologia dei filosofi ellenistici , Stuttgart 1991, pp. 11–16; John Glucker: Antiochus and the Late Academy , Göttingen 1978, p. 107 and note 33.