Greek philosophers

Timaeus

Timaeus was a Greek philosopher of the Pythagorean school. He was born in the 5th century BC (Locri in Calabria).

However, it is highly probable that Timaeus is only a literary character from two of Plato's dialogues (Critias, Timaeus).

According to these dialogues, Timaios was supposed to be a noble and wealthy citizen of the Greek colony of Locroi Epizephyrioi (today the city of Locri in Calabria). From there he was to move to Athens, where he was to hold high office. He was to be an expert in natural philosophy and astronomy.

Cicero, on the other hand, did not dispute his existence and wrote that Plato travelled to Italy to meet Timaeus and other members of the Pythagorean school.

Modern scholarship is inclined to believe that Timaeus is a fictional character because the information about him is only from Plato's dialogues. But the opposite view is confronted by the fact that Plato only allows historical figures to appear in his dialogues.