Juba II of Mauretania was certainly a philosopher
Juba II of Mauretania was certainly a philosopher in the broader classical sense, but his impact and areas of expertise went far beyond traditional . He was a highly respected scholar, author, and polymath, referred to in antiquity as "Rex Literatissimus" (The Most Learned King). The Athenians placing his statue next to the great Stoic philosopher Chrysippus in the Agora is a significant indicator of his monumental intellectual standing. Juba II: Beyond Traditional Philosophy Juba II's true significance lies in his vast scholarly contributions, which essentially laid the foundation for disciplines that would later separate from philosophy, particularly the natural sciences. * A Patron and Scholar of Natural History: His most influential work was his Natural History (now largely lost, but extensively cited by Pliny the Elder), which systematically cataloged geography, fauna, flora, and history from the Atlantic to India. * This systematic classification and emp...
