Why Did a Rich Man in Thebes Give His Whole Fortune Away?

Crates of Thebes was heir to a large fortune. According to the ancient biographer Diogenes Laertius, he turned his property into money, collected about two hundred talents, and distributed it among his fellow citizens. The sources disagree about how he did it, but they agree the money left. This video follows what Crates found out about need once he had nothing to fall back on: the beggar king on stage who started it, the banker story about his sons, the pot of lentil soup he made the future founder of Stoicism carry through the Ceramicus, Hipparchia's choice, and his answer when asked whether he wanted his ruined city rebuilt. Not financial advice: a look at an old experiment in testing what we actually need.