Lipsius was a humanist leader of international reputation, and numerous identifiable followers. He corresponded with hundreds of other humanists.
Views of the Lipsius circle Scholarship recognises a "Lipsius circle". The terms "Lipsian" and "Lipsianism" are used, the latter in reference in particular to his influence in Central and Eastern Europe. Waszink notes that "Lipsian" at times is used as if it were a synonym for "neostoic" while covering all the thought of Lipsius. In contrast
Richard Tuck described (1993) the effort of
Benito Arias Montano, a Familist collaborator of Plantin and long-term friend and correspondent of Lipsius, as influencing in Spain
Pedro de Valencia and engaged in theoretical work to go beyond the "Stoicism and scepticism of the Lipsian circle". Aside from neostoicism, Lipsius impressed others also with his Latin style, scholarly editions and political thinking. Charles Nauert casts doubt on whether there was a broad-based movement attached to neostoicism, commenting on "revived forms of ancient philosophy", including voguish neostoicism as the essence of Roman "moral earnestness", that none "gained a profound hold on the conscience of more than a few scattered individuals." In the first chapter of his book
Philosophic Pride: Stoicism and Political Thought from Lipsius to Rousseau, Brooke questions whether as much of the political thought of Lipsius should be attributed definitely to neostoicism as had been asserted by Gerhard Oestreich.
Literature Neostoicism had a direct influence on later writers, particularly in Spain and England. Among Spanish writers there were
Francisco de Quevedo, and Juan de Vera y Figueroa, among English writers
Francis Bacon and
Joseph Hall. Later in France there were
Montesquieu and
Bossuet. According to Saarinen, neo-stoic ideas are relevant to many
Calvinist authors, of whom he mentions
Theodor Zwinger.
In the Habsburg Monarchy Francisco Sánchez de las Brozas promoted neostoicism in Spain, as an editor of an Epictetus edition published in 1600. Later Quevedo published his
Doctrina Estoica (1635), continuing efforts to bridge the gap between Stoicism and Christian beliefs. Zdeněk Vojtěch Popel z Lobkovic (1568–1628) read much in Lipsius.
Nicolaus Vernulaeus who became historiographer to
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor drew in his
Institutiones politicae on neostoicism and its revised version by
Adam Contzen, a
Jesuit follower of Lipsius.
János Rimay was a Hungarian neo-stoic poet interested in a national revival in Hungary.
In England Translations into English of basic neostoic works by Lipsius and Du Vair appeared in the 1590s, and
Thomas Lodge translated Seneca's moral works (1614). Joseph Hall's 1606 book
Heaven upon Earth (1606) adopted "the fashionable vogue for neo-Stoicism". It was published the year after a visit to the Netherlands Hall made as chaplain to
Sir Edmund Bacon. Hall's biographer Huntley comments that his neostoicism "is more Christian than Senecan", and that he also uses
Ramism.
Kevin Sharpe, in his study of the reading of
Sir William Drake, 1st Baronet, noted that both reading and a stay in the Netherlands "appear to have led him to be influenced by the fashionable neostoicist humanist writings of Justus Lipsius and his disciples." Sharpe mentions also that
Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet had a work by Lipsius in his library.
John Eliot in the
Tower of London, and frustrated with politics, around 1630 acquired the
De constantia.
Edward Herbert of Cherbury built on neostoicism an early system of
deism.
The arts '' by
Peter Paul Rubens (1611–12);
Pitti Palace,
Florence Neo-stoic attitudes could be illustrated in
history painting, by choice of
exemplars, for instance taken from the
Roman Republic. It was also seen in portraiture of royalty and nobility: "the full-length or three-quarter-length lifesize format, the static pose, and the impassive facial expression associated with the characterological ideal of neo-Stoicism." In the Dutch Republic of the 17th-century these were current techniques to show
virtù. In the background is a bust belonging to Rubens, at the time thought to be of Seneca: it is now believed to represent the Greek poet
Hesiod. Rubens and
Anthony van Dyck were certainly familiar with the neo-stoic principles, but the only North Netherlands painter of the time known to have taken them more seriously was
Gerrit van Honthorst.
Joseph Justus Scaliger influenced literary figures such as
Samuel Coster. The original thinking became attenuated by the later 17th-century. Neostoicism had an impact on
garden design: the dialogue in the
De constantia by Lipsius was set in his own garden, and he moralised it. Studies have connected Dutch 17th-century gardens and
John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen with neo-stoic ideas; Allan has written on the effect of Lipsius's view, that Stoic
prudentia is to be achieved from a garden in which to contemplate, on Scottish gardens of the same period.
Military doctrine According to Israel, the 1590s were a decade of preoccupation in the
Dutch Republic with order and discipline in its armed forces.
William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg proposed in 1594 the
volley fire technique with alternating infantry ranks. The humanist ideas around neostoicism reinforced the trend to greater discipline.
Peter Burke writes "The self-discipline recommended by Seneca and Lipsius was transformed into military discipline in the age of
drill." Lipsius published a study of the
Roman army,
De Militia Romana (1595–96), which was influential in a number of European countries. It appeared in the
South Netherlands, dedicated to
Prince Philip, heir to the Spanish throne. But Lipsius was familiar also with leaders of the Dutch Revolt, and both sides in the struggle at this time were tightening up their military. Burke comments that "It is no accident that Lipsius should have been attracted to the study of both stoicism and the Roman army. ==Further developments==