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Relatively few works written by Epicurus (Figure 1) still survive, as most of what we known derive from later writings from his followers and his philosophical school that he started. We know that Epicureanism began as a philosophy at around 307/306 BCE. Like so many other philosophers, he established himself at Athens, although he was from Samos. He was influenced by the teaching of Democritus and he studied under Nausiphanes of Teos, but had a later falling out as he pursued his own new school of thought. In fact, Epicurus many main problem with other philosophers was he felt they were too narrow in their beliefs and their schools did not allow freedom of expression or questioning of the main philosopher teachers. Epicurus' strong ego, in essence, led to rifts with other schools of thought, forcing him to create his own school. This ultimately, however, did give him freedom to develop his ideas which emerged over a number of years.

The core philosophy we know Epicurus to have believed in was that one should pursue simple pleasure pleasures in life. Friendship was also key to forming happiness. While his falling out with other philosophers may seem a slight contradiction in his beliefs of seeking friendship and pleasure, he did try to live up to his ideals. This is demonstrated when he claimed to a friend in a letter, as he was dying, that his state of mind was very happy despite the pain he felt from kidney stones. So, even if physically one cannot escape pain, mentally one can pursue happiness such that it becomes a state not bound by death or sickness. His ideas, therefore, differ greatly from modern understanding of hedonism, which is often associated with the pursuit of please at all costs. While many focus on his ideas of pleasure, it is also his scientific ideas that, along with those of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers, have greatly influenced our modern world.  During the lifetime of Epicurus , he had relatively few followers and they would meet at his house's garden. In fact, the garden becomes the name in which they associated their school. However, evidence of his enduring philosophy in the centuries to come that followed are evident, as when the Apostle Paul went to Athens he encountered followers of Epicureanism, demonstrating the success of the philosophy as it began to spread. He was one of the first philosophers to clearly state that good and bad actions do not derive from the gods, but these derive from the presence or absence of pain and suffering. He stated that one should never fear death, as death simply means the end of what one can feel and not something that would be painful. Moderation was critical to all of his philosophical ideas of pleasure, as he warned against pursuits of love or other pleasures to the point where one becomes so enchanted by them that these pursuits could ultimately lead to pain.