Greek philosophers

Anaxarchos

Anaxarchos was a Greek philosopher who was born in Abdera around 380 BC and died around 320 BC. He was classified as an atomist.

Anaxarchos studied at the school of Democritus at Abdera in Thrace. Here he was a pupil of Diogenes of Smyrna, who was a pupil of Metrodorus (Metrodoros of Chios). Thus he was one of the late atomists, but one who gradually inclined to scepticism. His pupil was Pyrrhon of Elis. He also had access to Alexander of Macedon.

There is not much information on the life of Anaxarchus. He was called the Blessed One because of his callousness to suffering and contentment in life. Valerius Maximus wrote that Anaxarchos was a follower of Democritus' doctrine of an infinite number of worlds.