Greek philosophers
Cleanthes of Assos
Cleanthes of Assos was a Greek Stoic philosopher who was born in 331 BC in Assos (present-day Turkey) and died in 251 BC.
Cleanthes also led the entire Stoic school, replacing Zeno of Citium, who was also his teacher.
In his youth, he was a fist-fighter in his native Asia Minor. He then moved to Athens, where he made his living as a pumper at the wells. From this poverty, Zeno of Citium pulled him out and began to teach him philosophy. This was developed by Cleanthes himself for the rest of his life. His version of Stoicism is pantheistic. Thus, he believed in a god who pervades everything, is the driving force behind everything, is spirit and reason, and resides in the sun. He also developed the materialist branch of Stoicism.
Only fragments of his work survive. The most important disciple of Cleanthes was Chrysippus of Soloi.
Cleanthes died a voluntary death by starvation.