The 15 most important and famous Greek philosophers

March 30, 2024

Ancient Greece was an especially prolific period for culture and philosophy . In fact, the history of Western thought can not be explained without taking into account the great Greek thinkers.

In this ranking of 15 most important Greek philosophers we will try to synthesize the work of each one of the most influential thinkers and who left a more outstanding legacy.

Related article: "The 10 most interesting philosophical theories"

Older philosophers of Ancient Greece

When we speak of Ancient Greece we refer to the historical period that goes from the year 1200 to. C. until the year 146 a. C. , moment in which the Doric invasion took place in the Hellenic region.

The Greek culture was so influential that even the Roman Empire adopted much of the thought left by Plato, Socrates, Heraclitus, and many others.

These thinkers managed to make the thirst for knowledge their way of life. We are going to know which were the 15 most important Greek philosophers . We leave out thinkers who deserve also an honorable mention, as is the case of Gorgias de Leontinos, Diogenes Laertius, Plutarch, Hippocrates, and many others.

15. Heraclitus of Ephesus (540 - 480 BC)

Known by his nickname "The Dark of Ephesus" , Heraclitus was born in a region of present-day Turkey. His work was aphoristic in the form of endless poems, so the knowledge he developed required a detailed study.

He brought valuable knowledge to the world of physics, theorizing about a 'natural principle' and the incessant change of matter. His scientific postulates were subject of analysis in later times.

Know more: "The 35 best famous phrases of Heraclitus"

14. Epicurus of Samos (341 - 270 BC)

Epicurus was one of the most famous philosophers of Ancient Greece. He developed atomism and his philosophy of life was rational hedonism . In search of hedonic pleasure, I tried to abandon any form of pain based on a frugal and detached life.

Unfortunately, few of the writings of Epicurus were preserved after his death, so we owe his legacy to the poetry of Lucretius and the correspondence he had with another philosopher: Diogenes Laertius.

Learn more: "The 40 best phrases of Epicurus of Samos"

13. Sophocles (496 - 406 BC)

Born in the city of Colon, Sophocles was a very prominent tragic poet and thinker . Although his field of thought was more literature and dramaturgy than philosophy, his works were steeped in reflections and knowledge that other philosophers would later develop. He was the author of the famous Antigone Y King Oedipus, considered authentic masterpieces of the Greek tragic theater.

Although he was a prolific writer, only seven of his Greek tragedies were preserved, which became references of the genre for centuries.

Learn more: "The 25 best famous phrases of Sophocles"

12. Anaxágoras de Clazómenas (500 - 428 BC)

Anaxagoras was a pre-Socratic philosopher who was the pioneer in introducing the notion of nous (νοῦς, mind or thought). Born in Clazomena, in a region of present-day Turkey, he lived in Athens from his adolescence.

For this Greek thinker, the philosophical ideas he worked on always revolved around nature itself. He left us a huge legacy with his descriptions about nature and the universe. In his texts, he argued that all elements consisted of or came from another element, and in turn belonged to a whole.

Learn more: "The 13 best famous phrases of Anaxágoras"

11. Diogenes of Sinope (404 - 323 BC)

Born in Sinope, next to the Black Sea, Diogenes the Cynic was one of the philosophers of Ancient Greece with a more ironic and humorous style . Although we received few manuscripts of Diogenes, we know many of his ideas thanks to his faithful disciples and students.

He excelled in the art of discussion and oratory, and rejected any conventionalism of his refugee period in a frugal and austere life, although he made no attempt to reform or change what he challenged. His disciple Diogenes de Laercio was the one who recorded the knowledge and theories of the teacher.

10. Empedocles of Agrigento (495 - 444 BC)

Politician and philosopher, Empedocles devised the theory of the four roots: four basic elements (water, earth, fire and air) which are the essential components of everything that exists.He is also the author of the two "conditions" or "forces" of the world, from which he explained the problems of his time, such as corruption, hatred and love. The first force united the existing, while the second separated it.

His legacy originated a wave of poets and thinkers who, motivated by the theories of Empédocles and its four elements, initiated the field of atomic physics.

Learn more: "The 12 best phrases of Empédocles"

9. Parmenides of Elea (530 - 470 BC)

In a southern region of Magna Grecia was born Parmenides, a poet and thinker who questioned himself . "Is it or is it not?", A question that tried to answer and that was the subject of analysis by philosophy for centuries, being one of the paradoxes that more rivers of ink has made run.

In the words of Parmenides, the signs of the path of truth were the concretion of what is and what is not. From this reasoning he explained that a thing that is can never cease to be more than by itself. As we see, it is a somewhat abstract and strange argument but that gave rise to hundreds of theories and speculations in later times.

Learn more: "The 16 best sentences of Parmenides de Elea"

8. Pythagoras of Samos (569 - 475 BC)

Recognized as the first pure mathematician in history, the contributions of Pythagoras have been fundamental in the fields of philosophy, geometry and arithmetic . The well-known "Pythagorean theorem" is still studied in elementary schools, and explains that "in every right triangle the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the legs".

This thinker not only contributed to abstract and logical thinking, but also reflected on the moral laws of life, since his school focused many efforts on the promotion of a just and balanced life.

Learn more: "The 35 best famous phrases of Pythagoras"

7. Zenón de Elea (490 - 430 a.)

Zeno of Elea was especially recognized for his theory of infinity , a series of reasonings with which he tried to solve the paradoxes and dilemmas about plurality and movement, concepts that, from a metaphysical level, he questioned based on brainy logical arguments that were recorded in different manuscripts.

This pre-Socratic Greek philosopher began a journey of thought that many of his disciples (including prominent names such as Melisus, Democritus and Anaxagoras) continued and expanded after his death.

6. Tales of Miletus (624 - 546 BC)

Master of other great Greek thinkers, such as Anaximenes, and father of ancient Greek philosophy, Thales of Miletus theorized about natural philosophy , the origin of the subject and also contributed great knowledge in science, geography and mathematics, where he left as legacy the so-called 'theory of change'.

For this important Greek philosopher, water is the main and original element in the world, the beginning of all other things. This idea spread throughout Ancient Greece and dozens of later philosophers developed these notions.

Know more: "The 32 best phrases of Tales of Mileto"

5. Democritus (460 - 370 BC)

Scientist and only mathematician, Democritus was known as "the laughing philosopher" He contributed great theories and knowledge to the world of mathematics, geometry and astronomy.

Through different experiments and reasoning he was able to trace his atomic theory of the universe, he argued that atoms are indivisible particles, whole, homogeneous and not visible to the naked eye. A consideration that science later demonstrated.

Learn more: "The 24 best sentences of Democritus, the Greek philosopher"

4. Anaximenes of Miletus (590 - 525 BC)

Anaxmenes de Mileto was one of the most important and famous philosophers of Ancient Greece , although not only was he one of the first authors in philosophy but he also contributed his wisdom to areas such as biology and geography. He is considered one of the first astronomers in history, since he was able to create the first image of the universe.

This fellow citizen and disciple of Thales of Miletus was studied and analyzed by later philosophers. One of his most important notions was that he referred to the fact that the principle of all things was infinite.

3. Aristotle (384 - 322 BC)

Considered the father of biology and logic, Aristotle founds the history of knowledge in the West . His legacy consists of more than 200 texts in which he theorizes and develops ideas around seven different areas of knowledge.

The creativity and depth of this philosopher, excellent in his writing and in the complexity of his expositions, not only supposed a step forward in the thought of Ancient Greece but many later thinkers would base their postulates on the ideas and experiences left by the great Aristotle.

Learn more: "The 100 best famous quotes of Aristotle"

2. Socrates (470 - 399 BC)

Socrates, born in Athens, was one of the most important Greek philosophers . It is due to the questioning of reasoning itself, in addition to the Socratic method, which allowed thinkers to ask themselves about their own behavior until they came to more certain and lasting approaches.

He was Plato's teacher, who followed his philosophical cues and developed them.

Know more: "70 great phrases of Socrates to understand his thought"

1. Plato (427 - 347 BC)

Disciple of Socrates, Plato developed the theology of his teacher to intertwine it with novel metaphysical approaches . Founder of the Academy in Athens, he taught his ethical theories, in addition to dialectics and physics, where he also contributed great knowledge.

Through these scientific and philosophical facets, Plato aimed to create men much more educated and able to govern themselves.