The
Scipionic Circle, or the
Circle of Scipio, was a group of
philosophers,
poets, and
politicians patronized by their namesake,
Scipio Aemilianus. Together they would discuss Greek culture, literature, and humanism. Alongside their
philhellenic disposition, the group also had more humane Roman foreign policy. The term was first derived during the 19th century and ubiquitously adopted by scholars of the early 20th century. The collection of members varied during its existence, from 15 names of the early period, to 27 in its middle to 10 in its final.