Note: Biographical entries for Lucretius and Cicero, both centrally important figures in the history of philosophy at Rome, may be found at the end of Chapter 3 and Chapter 6, respectively.

354-43O C.E.
Teacher, Bishop, Saint

An Educated Youth. Augustine was born in 354 C.E. to a pagan father, Patricius, and a Christian mother, Monica, in the town of Thagaste in Numidia in Northern Africa. After learning the basics while living in Thagaste with his parents, brother, and sister, Augustine went to Madaura to study with a grammaticus from 366 C.E. until 370 C.E. From the grammaticus, Augustine learned Cicero and Vergil, but he never developed an appreciation for Greek. Sometimes he slipped away from classes to the amphitheater to see games. When his father no longer had the funds to pay for his schooling, Augustine had to return to Thagaste, where he became...