INTRODUCTION The life of Epictetus is one of the most remarkable transformation stories that have reached us from Antiquity to the present day. Starting his life as a slave in the social order of the Roman Empire, Epictetus gained his freedom in later years and became one of the most influential Stoic teachers of his time. However, what makes his story significant is not only his rise from the lowest strata of society to a respected philosopher. What truly differentiates Epictetus is his ability to transform the experiences of slavery, physical disability, poverty, and exile that he encountered in his life into material for understanding human inner freedom. Seneca lived Stoicism within great wealth, while Marcus Aurelius tried to practice it in the imperial office. Epictetus's Stoicism, however, arose from the experiences of a slave, a person who had almost no say over his own body and future. Therefore, his words about freedom were not merely the product of a theoretical philosophy. Epictetus had personally observed that a person could be free while in chains, and could also be a slave to his own passions while being considered free by society. We do not have a detailed and continuous biography of his life. It is not definitively known who his family was, how his childhood was spent, when he was enslaved, and under what conditions he gained his freedom. Much of what we know about him comes from the lecture notes of his student Arrian, late antique writers, and later accounts. Therefore, some events in Epictetus's life should be regarded more as anecdotes that explain his character and thought rather than as precise historical facts. However, the fundamental outline of his life is known. Epictetus was born around AD 50–55 in the city of Hierapolis, located in the Phrygia region of the Roman Empire. Hierapolis is situated today within the borders of Denizli, near Pamukkale. The name given to the philosopher at birth is unknown. The word "Epictetus" in Greek means "acquired," "purchased," or "belonging to another." Therefore, it is thought that his name, as known today, may represent a designation expressing the condition of slavery rather than a personal name. How Epictetus fell into slavery is also unclear. He may have been born into a family of slaves, enslaved through war or trade, or sold at a young age. What is known for certain is that he spent a significant part of his youth as a slave and was taken to Rome to serve a powerful court official named Epaphroditus. A Slave in Rome Epaphroditus's life also reflected the contradictions of Roman society. He was a former slave; after gaining his freedom, he rose around Emperor Nero and attained an influential position in the imperial administration. Once the property of another person, Epaphroditus had now become the owner of Epictetus when he gained power and wealth. In Roman law, slaves were not considered independent individuals but rather the property of their masters. The owner largely decided where the slave would live, what work they would do, whom they would associate with, and how their body would be used. Although there is no detailed information about Epictetus's childhood or daily duties in Rome, it is clear that he could not establish a life plan of his own. However, the years he spent in Rome taught him not only what legal slavery was. While living around the imperial palace, he saw that even people who appeared free and powerful could be enslaved in different ways. Senators, palace officials, and wealthy Romans feared losing their fortunes, being removed from their positions, or incurring the emperor's wrath. Many of them needed the approval of others to attain a higher position or to maintain their current status. Epictetus was legally a slave of Epaphroditus; Epaphroditus, in turn, owed his political existence to Nero's will. This situation formed the basis of Epictetus's thought on freedom. According to him, a person's freedom could not be explained merely by escaping the ownership of another person. A person who ties their worth to money, position, fame, or the approval of others becomes dependent on a power outside themselves. This observation was the beginning of a thought that he would often share with his students later: A person is free not when they possess everything they desire, but when they do not surrender their will to others because of the things they do not have. The most famous account of Epictetus's years in Rome is the breaking of his leg by his master. According to the story, one day Epaphroditus violently twists Epictetus's leg. Epictetus calmly states that if he continues, his leg will break. Epaphroditus continues his action, and the leg indeed breaks. Thereupon, Epictetus merely reminds him that he had predicted the breaking of his leg in advance. The historical accuracy of this event is uncertain. Some ancient sources attribute Epictetus's disability to the violence inflicted by his master, while other sources indicate that his limp arose from illness or a congenital condition. Although it is generally accepted that Epictetus had difficulty walking, it is not possible to definitively determine the cause of this. Nevertheless, the story of the broken leg is a powerful symbol for understanding Epictetus's philosophy. This story does not mean that he felt no pain or did not care about physical harm. Epictetus's thought emphasizes that the body can be harmed, but the harm done to the body does not necessarily corrupt a person's character. When the leg is broken, the body is harmed. However, the transformation of a person into a coward, liar, or tyrant is not a necessary consequence of the same kind. As Epictetus would later express, lameness was an impediment for the leg; not for the will. Thus, his philosophy began to establish a distinction between a person's body and moral character. A master could restrict the movements of his slave, beat him, or sell him. However, he could not entirely determine how the slave would evaluate his experiences and how he would respond to the wrongs done to him. This thought was not a program aimed at morally or politically abolishing the institution of slavery. Epictetus should not be seen as an anti-slavery thinker in the modern sense. Rather than trying to directly overthrow the institution of slavery in Rome, he argued that a person has an inner realm of choice that no external power can completely seize. Musonius Rufus and His Introduction to Philosophy One of the most important turning points in Epictetus's life was when he began attending the lectures of the Stoic philosopher Musonius Rufus while still a slave. It is unknown why Epaphroditus allowed this education. Perhaps he thought that an educated slave would be more useful, or maybe he had recognized Epictetus's talent. There is no definitive information about the conditions under which Epictetus continued his studies. Musonius Rufus was one of the most important Stoic teachers of his time. He did not see philosophy as a field where theoretical knowledge was accumulated or beautiful speeches were made. According to him, philosophy should educate a person's character and change their daily behaviors. Someone who speaks of justice but does injustice to those around them, who praises moderation but cannot control their own passions, could not be considered a true philosopher. The influence of Musonius's approach is clearly seen in Epictetus's later teaching style. Epictetus also did not regard philosophy as an ornament, an intellectual entertainment, or a means to gain respect in society. According to him, philosophy should cause a person to confront themselves. One could not develop philosophically without seeing their fears, desires, the lies they tell themselves, and their moral inconsistencies. For this reason, he would later say, "The philosopher's classroom is a hospital." People go to the hospital not to have fun or feel successful, but to heal. Just as treatment can sometimes be painful, philosophical education could also require facing unpleasant truths. In Musonius Rufus's lessons, Epictetus did not only learn Stoic concepts. For the first time, he may have been treated as a human being whose mind and character could be educated, regardless of his status as a slave. Roman society told him he was someone else's property. Philosophy, however, showed that he was a being capable of thought, choice, and moral development. It is not known exactly when and under what circumstances Epictetus gained his freedom. Although some modern accounts state that he was freed in his thirties, there is no definitive record to confirm this. At some point, it is known that he left the service of Epaphroditus and began teaching philosophy in his own name in Rome. Gaining legal freedom was a significant change in Epictetus's life. He was no longer someone else's property. However, for a person who had thought about slavery for years, the freedom document was only the beginning of the matter. According to him, a freed slave could fall into another kind of slavery if he became dependent on the greed for wealth or the approval of society. For this reason, after gaining his freedom, Epictetus did not try to enter the wealthy and powerful circles of Rome. He did not acquire great wealth like Seneca, did not pursue a political career like Cato, and did not aim to obtain an important position in the palace. He chose to teach philosophy. Epictetus's authority as a teacher stemmed not from his social status, but from the relationship between his life and what he said. When talking about freedom, he had experienced slavery; when discussing physical endurance, he had experienced physical disability; and when speaking about not being dependent on external conditions, he had experienced poverty. The School Born from Exile After Epictetus began teaching in Rome, he gained students. However, philosophers were not seen merely as thinkers in the Roman Empire. Especially the Stoic teachers' ideas about freedom, virtue, and tyranny could be regarded as a political threat by the imperial administration. During the reign of Emperor Domitian, philosophers were ordered to be removed from Rome and Italy. Following this decision, Epictetus had to leave Rome. The exact date of the exile is debated; different sources highlight dates around AD 89 and AD 93. Being exiled from Rome meant a new loss for Epictetus. Having escaped from slavery, received education, and begun to establish his teaching life, he was now being removed from the city he lived in. However, exile was a test to show whether his philosophy consisted solely of words. Epictetus could not control the emperor's decision. He also did not have the political power to change Domitian's attitude towards philosophers. However, what he would do after his exile was still within his choice. Epictetus left Rome and settled in the city of Nikopolis in northwestern Greece, where he established a school of philosophy. The decision that distanced him from Rome thus marked the beginning of the most productive period of his life. This situation concretized the fundamental distinction in his thought: A person cannot choose all the events that happen to them; but they can work on how to respond to these events. The school that Epictetus established in Nikopolis gradually began to attract students from different regions of the Roman world. Among these students were children from wealthy families, young people who would become state officials or soldiers in the future, and distinguished individuals interested in philosophy. Once a slave of another in Rome, Epictetus was now teaching young people from the ruling class of Rome what true freedom was. His lessons were not merely regular talks that students listened to in silence. Epictetus posed questions to his students, questioned their answers, brought out their excuses, and sometimes used quite a harsh language. It was not enough for him th