Pythagoras

Timeline

1. c. -570–-550Samos · DodecaneseBorn on the island of Samos in the eastern Aegean. In his early years, influenced by the meeting of Greek and Eastern cultures, he developed interests in mathematics, music, and religious ritual, laying the groundwork for his later fusion of mathematical and philosophical speculation.
2. c. -550–-530Egypt and Babylon · Nile basinAccording to tradition, he traveled to Egypt and Babylon, studying geometry, astronomy, and religious mysteries. These journeys may have led him to regard number, ratio, and harmony as the core means of understanding cosmic order.
3. c. -530–-510Croton · CalabriaSettled in Croton in southern Italy around 530 BCE and founded the Pythagorean school. The community combined philosophical discussion, mathematical research, and religious discipline, proposing that all is number, metempsychosis, and a harmonious cosmos, attracting many followers.
4. c. -510–-495Metapontum · CalabriaAfter political conflicts in Croton, he moved to Metapontum and spent his later years there. The school continued to spread his mathematical and philosophical ideas; results such as the Pythagorean theorem and musical ratios were passed down through his disciples' writings, influencing later philosophers such as Plato.