Greek and Stoic Philosophers

Mímir Academy Giants

1. Pre-Socratics (Natural Philosophers)

624–546 BCE: Thales of Miletus — Water as fundamental substance; founder of Greek science; Milesian school.
610–546 BCE: Anaximander of Miletus — Introduced the "apeiron" (infinite or boundless); student of Thales.
586–526 BCE: Anaximenes of Miletus — Air as primary substance; refined Thales’ ideas.
570–495 BCE: Pythagoras of Samos — Mathematical harmony of cosmos; number theory; early influence on Plato.
570–478 BCE: Xenophanes of Colophon — Critic of anthropomorphic gods; early monotheistic themes.
535–475 BCE: Heraclitus of Ephesus — "Everything flows" (panta rhei); logos; fire as base element.
515–450 BCE: Parmenides of Elea — "Being is"; change is illusion; foundational metaphysics.
490–430 BCE: Zeno of Elea — Paradoxes of motion and plurality; defender of Parmenidean logic.
494–434 BCE: Empedocles of Akragas — Four classical elements; cosmic forces of Love and Strife.
500–428 BCE: Anaxagoras of Clazomenae — Nous (Mind) as organizing principle of cosmos; mentor to Pericles.
5th c. BCE: Leucippus of Miletus — Co-founder of atomism with Democritus.
460–370 BCE: Democritus of Abdera — Atomic theory; matter as indivisible particles in the void.

470–399 BCE: Socrates of Athens — Dialogical method; ethics and virtue; “Know thyself”; left no writings.
430–354 BCE: Xenophon of Athens — Student of Socrates; practical Socratic accounts in Memorabilia.
428–348 BCE: Plato of Athens — Theory of Forms; The Republic; founded the Academy.
436–338 BCE: Isocrates of Athens — Orator and educator; rival educational vision to Plato’s.
384–322 BCE: Aristotle of Stagira — Logic, biology, metaphysics; founded the Lyceum.
371–287 BCE: Theophrastus of Eresos — Aristotle’s successor; work in botany and logic.
387–312 BCE: Menaechmus of Alopeconnesus — Conic sections; influence on Apollonius.
370–285 BCE: Eudoxus of Cnidus — Theory of proportion; model of planetary motion.
360–290 BCE: Dicaearchus of Messana — Geographer and student of Aristotle.
330–275 BCE: Euclid of Alexandria — Father of geometry; Elements as foundation of axiomatic method.
310–230 BCE: Aristarchus of Samos — Heliocentric theory; early astronomical model.
287–212 BCE: Archimedes of Syracuse — Mechanics, hydrostatics, geometry; inventor and physicist.
276–194 BCE: Eratosthenes of Cyrene — Calculated Earth’s circumference; geography and chronology.
240–190 BCE: Apollonius of Perga — Formalized conics; advanced Greek geometry.
190–120 BCE: Hipparchus of Nicaea — Trigonometry; star catalog; precession of equinoxes.

334–262 BCE: Zeno of Citium — Founder of Stoicism; emphasized virtue and rational living.
330–230 BCE: Cleanthes of Assos — Second head of the Stoa; author of Hymn to Zeus.
280–206 BCE: Chrysippus of Soloi — Codified Stoic logic, ethics, and physics; most prolific Stoic.
341–270 BCE: Epicurus of Samos — Founded Epicureanism; pleasure through ataraxia (tranquility).
360–270 BCE: Pyrrho of Elis — Founder of Pyrrhonian Skepticism; suspended judgment (epoché).
316–241 BCE: Arcesilaus of Pitane — Turned Plato’s Academy toward Skepticism.
214–129 BCE: Carneades of Cyrene — Argued both sides of issues; Academic Skeptic.

4 BCE – 65 CE: Seneca of Corduba — Statesman and dramatist; applied Stoicism to practical life.
30–100 CE: Musonius Rufus of Volsinii — Teacher of Epictetus; emphasized equality and endurance.
50–135 CE: Epictetus of Hierapolis — Former slave; taught inner freedom through reason.
121–180 CE: Marcus Aurelius of Rome — Roman emperor; Meditations on duty, virtue, and resilience.

Pre-Socratics: Introduced rational inquiry into nature and metaphysical being.
Socratics: Ethics and dialectical methods as a foundation for personal and civic virtue.
Plato → Aristotle: Core of Western logic, metaphysics, political theory, and natural science.
Hellenistic Science: Formal geometry, astronomy, physics, medicine, and geography.
Stoics: Lasting influence on ethics, modern CBT, self-mastery, and resilience philosophy.
Skeptics & Epicureans: Alternative Hellenistic schools emphasizing doubt, tranquility, and pleasure.