After Stoicism spread in Rome, it gained popularity because it was introduced to a well-known and respected individual: the famous general Scipio l 'African the Younger. Scipio was a general famous for his victories in the Third Punic War and for his conquests of cities in Spain. He was born into a large patrician family and was adopted into another, while remaining close to his biological family. He was descended by blood or legal ties to consuls and several famous generals. The philosopher who introduced Scipio to Stoicism was a man named Panaetius. Panetius came to Rome and lived there for many years before returning to Athens to become the head of the Stoic school there. Upon his arrival in Rome, he met Scipio who was very interested in the Stoic ideas of Panetius. Scipio introduces him into the Scipionian circle of which he is a part. This was Rome's first literary circle composed of distinguished individuals, including Lucilius, a famous satirist, and members of Scipio's family. Panetius taught his Stoic ideas to this esteemed group who essentially introduced Stoicism to Rome's intellectual elite. The friendship between Scipio Africanus the Younger and Panetius also greatly popularized Stoicism. Scipio and the circle's acceptance and admiration for this philosophy contributed to its spread in Roman society. Stoicism made the transition from an intriguing foreign philosophy to a popular practice because it was taken up by several high-profile figures. Stoicism was first adopted by Marcus Tullius Cicero. He had completed higher education in Greece and Rome. The fact that he studied in Greece and spoke Greek would have greatly helped him understand Stoicism. He was also a great intellectual and orator of his time who is said to have... middle of paper ... is his influence on Roman life and thought. " The Classical Journal 29 (1934) 645-657 Russell, Bertand. A History of Western Philosophy. United States: Simon and Schuster Press, 1945. Solomon, Robert. A Brief History of Philosophy United States: Oxford University Press, 1996. “Stoicism,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (1996), accessed April 10, 2014. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stoicism/Strange, Steven Zupko, Jack. Cambridge University Press, 2004. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, sv “Marcus Tullius Cicero,” accessed April 14, 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/117565/Marcus-Tullius-Cicero/299678/Merriam. Webster Online, sv "stoic", accessed April 20, 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stoicRome in the Late Republic by M Beard and M Crawford, (2nd ed., Duckworth, 1999)