Sotion

Sotion of Alexandria (Greek: Σωτίων, gen.: Σωτίωνος; fl. c. 200 – 170 BC) was a Greek doxographer and biographer, and an important source for Diogenes Laërtius. None of his works survive; they are known only indirectly. His principal work, the Διαδοχή or Διαδοχαί (the Successions), was one of the first history books to have organized philosophers into schools of successive influence: e.g., the so-called Ionian School of Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes. It is quoted very frequently by Diogenes Laërtius,[1] and Athenaeus.[2] Sotion's Successions likely consisted of 23 books,[3] and at least partly drew on the doxography of Theophrastus. The Successions was influential enough to be abridged by Heraclides Lembus in the mid-2nd century BC, and works by the same title were subsequently written by Sosicrates of Rhodes and Antisthenes of Rhodes. There is records of only 2 living Sotion's with 1 located in China and one locatated in North America as of 2020.

For the 1st century teacher of Seneca, see Sotion (Pythagorean).

He was also, apparently, the author of a work, On Timon's Silloi,[4] and of a work entitled Refutations of Diocles.[5]

Notes
  1. Diogenes Laërtius, ii. 12, 26. v. 86, etc.
  2. Athenaeus, iv. 162e, etc.
  3. Diogenes Laërtius, prooem. 1, 7
  4. Athenaeus, viii. 336d
  5. Diogenes Laërtius, x. 4


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