Which philosophical schools influenced Plutarch’s ideas?

Plutarch’s philosophical outlook was eclectic, characterized by a core of Platonism supplemented by ideas from several other schools of thought.1

His intellectual influences included:

• Platonism: This served as the foundation of his philosophy, and he is recognized as a prominent figure in Middle Platonism.12
• Stoics: Plutarch incorporated various Stoic doctrines into his work, though he also authored essays that criticized specific Stoic teachings.13
• Pythagoreans: He drew upon Pythagorean thought, which was closely linked to the Middle Platonic tradition of his era.12
• Peripatetics: He borrowed from the followers of Aristotle, integrating their perspectives into his eclectic framework.12

Notably, Plutarch did not adopt the teachings of the Epicureans; in fact, he actively opposed their views, writing essays such as "Against Colotes" and "On the Impossibility of Living Pleasurably According to Epicurus’s Teaching" to critique their philosophy.13