Towards a Reappraisal of Crantor’s Role in the History of the Hellenistic Academy

This article outlines Crantor’s significant contribution to the intellectual and institutional history of the Academy in the first quarter of the 3rd century bce. Drawing on an earlier hypothesis by John Dillon, the author argues that Crantor caused a temporary ‘schism’—soon healed—within Polemo’s Academy by establishing a school of his own in the Asclepieion. He contends that this temporary ‘schism’ was due to disagreements between Crantor and Polemo in the field of ethics: Crantor, who opposed the Stoic idea of ἀπάθεια, did not accept the rigorism that characterised the first phase of Polemo’s ethical philosophy; however, once Polemo adopted a more moderate stance and aligned himself with Crantor, the ‘schism’ ceased to exist. Moreover, Crantor’s focus on human passions was connected to a more general reflection on the origins of evil and suffering and had a significant influence on Arcesilaus and on the sceptical turn of Academy.