🌐Hierocles Course
Updated: Sep 6
Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Stoicism Series
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🎧 Audio is read by AI
🌐Welcome to the Hierocles Course for Everyday People
Hierocles was a Stoic philosopher who lived and taught in the Roman empire of the second century, and he is one of the quiet ones: known to us mostly through fragments and the later writers who thought him worth quoting, his name far less famous than the ideas he left behind. Across everything that survives of him, he keeps returning to one steady question, the kind that never stops mattering: where does our concern for other people actually come from, and how far out is it meant to reach.
This course teaches Hierocles on his own terms, pure to himself and his Stoic school, with no other thinkers or modern methods blended into the ideas. It is written in plain, down-to-earth language anyone can follow, whether you have read Stoic philosophy for years or this is the very first page of it you have ever opened. It is not a dry academic survey, and it is not motivational filler; it is what Hierocles actually thought, taught clearly enough that you can understand it and carry it into the way you see your own life. Each lesson gives you the real teaching, grounded examples from ordinary life, and an honest account of both what is brilliant in him and what belongs only to his time. And every lesson ends with a simple practice, so the ideas have somewhere to go once you close the page.
This course is self-paced, with no tests, exams, or homework. Feel free to go through it in order, or jump around to whatever interests you most.
Course outline
Click any lesson below to begin.
Orientation
Module 1 — Who Is Hierocles?
Module 2 — The Life and World of Hierocles
Core Teachings
Module 3 — Oikeiosis
Module 4 — The Circles of Concern
Module 5 — On Appropriate Acts
Closing
Disclaimer:
Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. While we strive for accuracy, errors can occur, and users are encouraged to cross-reference critical information. These courses present the ideas of historical Stoic philosophers for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They describe what these thinkers taught and argued and do not constitute an endorsement of any philosophical position, nor do they constitute religious instruction or professional advice of any kind. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.
Crisis Support: 🚨
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.
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