He was born in
Cyrene, the son of Alexander. In his youth he was poor, but remarkable for his industry, as well as for his affable and engaging manners. He moved to Athens, and attached himself to the Middle Academy, according to a silly story quoted by
Eusebius from
Numenius, because the ease with which his servants robbed him without being detected, convinced him that no reliance could be placed on the evidence of the
senses. He was a disciple of
Arcesilaus, and succeeded him as head (
scholarch) of the school in 241 BC, over which he presided for 26 years. The place where his instructions were delivered was a garden, named the
Lacydeum (), provided for the purpose by his friend
Attalus I of
Pergamon. He resigned his position in 216/5 BC, because of ill-health, and for the final ten years of his life the Academy was run by a council led by
Evander and
Telecles, who succeeded him to jointly run the Academy after his death in 206/5 BC. According to
Diogenes Laërtius he died from excessive drinking, but the story is discredited by the eulogy of
Eusebius that he was in all things moderate. ==Philosophy==