Did you know that not only men were philosophers in ancient Greece? Although none of their books are preserved, and their names are mostly unknown to us, there were many great Greek female philosophers who loved wisdom (philo - love\, sophia - wisdom).

In the text, we will mention some of them whose influence was significant and who were mentioned in the works of famous philosophers of that time.

Female Philosophers in Antiquity

There are clear references to their existence and the influence they had on the works of some of the most famous Greek philosophers such as Plato, Pythagoras, or Socrates.

Themistoclea of Delphi, 6th century BC

Themistoclea of Delphi (Θεμιστόκλεια), also known by some sources as Aristoclea or Theoclea, lived in the 6th century BC. Known for her knowledge of mathematics, she particularly loved geometry. Pythagoras called her his teacher and it is believed she taught him ethics, geometry, and numbers. It is believed that it was because of her that the Pythagorean school was open to women as both students and teachers.

Theano, 6th century BC

Theano was born in 546 BC in Croton, a Hellenic city in southern Italy. She was already known for her thoughts and theories, but after meeting the famous Pythagoras, she became his student and later his wife. She was a great mathematician, astronomer, and cosmologist. Her field of interest was the harmony of numbers. It is also believed that she was responsible for the development of the theorem of the harmony of numbers. She is considered to have formulated the theorem of the golden ratio - “φ”, which played an important role in discovering physical laws. After Pythagoras’ death, the school and Pythagoreans were subjected to political persecution. It is believed that Theano moved to Samos with a group of students, where she continued her research and led the school.
On the island of Samos, the birthplace of Pythagoras, there is a statue dedicated to Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans. The place where the monument is located was renamed Pythagorion in 1955 in their honor.

Myia, 6th century BC

Myia, best known for her work Letter to Phyllis, was the daughter of Theano and Pythagoras, a philosophical couple who marked the 6th century and whose work is significant in the development of Western civilization to this day.
Myia naturally belonged to the Pythagorean school and was active, and in her work Letter to Phyllis, she describes to her friend named Phyllis how to raise a child and take care of it. All the needs of the baby must be met in harmony and moderation. The guardian must be moderate - Pythagorean ideal behavior. She recommends moderation in food, clothing, and hygiene. We could say that these are the beginnings of pedagogy.

Aspasia, 5th century BC

Aspasia (Gr. Ἀσπασία), born in 470 BC in Miletus, was one of the most educated and influential women of her time. Socrates valued her philosophical knowledge, and many prominent Athenians came to her for her intellectual influence. She is considered to have been a center of gathering for thinkers and artists in Athens, and some sources suggest that she ran a school for women. Aspasia was very liberal and radical for her time, especially evident in her extramarital relationship with Pericles, a widower, which was unusual for the social norms of that time.

Information about her life comes from various sources, such as Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes, but each of them writes about Aspasia in the context of their culture, which creates challenges in interpreting her actual life. Although there is little concrete data about her life, her intellectual influence in Athenian society is still unquestioned.

What creates confusion is the way she is portrayed in Athenian comedy, where she is often depicted as a courtesan and ‘madam’. This portrayal is part of a broader social attitude towards women in Athens, where women were often used as symbols of moral and social taboo subjects. The comedy of that era had a sharp critical tone towards politics, with emphasized sexual connotations. We must emphasize that the works of the comedians of that period, such as Aristophanes’ works (such as “Clouds” and “Lysistrata”), were politically oriented, using satire as a way to criticize social norms. Due to her great influence in Athenian society, some scholars believe that the satire about Aspasia was an attempt to diminish her real influence. Unfortunately, Aspasia is not the only woman who has been characterized as a courtesan because of her influence, intellect, and ideas, and an example of this is the famous Sappho.

Hypatia, 4th century AD

Hypatia of Alexandria was one of the most famous philosophers and scientists of the ancient world. Born in Alexandria around 360 AD, at a time when Christianity began to change the cultural and intellectual currents of the world, Hypatia managed to become a leading figure in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy.

Hypatia was a student of the great mathematician and philosopher Theon of Alexandria, and her intellectual work covered many areas. She taught and lectured on philosophy, particularly Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy, while being active in astronomy and mathematics. Some of her most important works include commentaries on the works of other great thinkers of that time, such as Plato and Aristotle. Additionally, Hypatia worked on the improvement of astronomical instruments, including astrolabes and celestial spheres, which significantly advanced astronomy at that time.

She is known for founding her philosophy on rational inquiry and empirical evidence, and her teachings attracted many students and scholars from different parts of the Roman Empire. Her school in Alexandria was a significant center for intellectual exchange, where philosophical and scientific problems were discussed.

However, Hypatia was not just an intellectual; she was also a symbol of the struggle to preserve scientific traditions and freedom of thought in a world increasingly susceptible to religious and political influences. Unfortunately, her death in 415 AD, when she was brutally killed by Christian fanatics, represents a tragic end to her life and a symbolic moment in the history of science and philosophy.

Although her life was marked by violence, her legacy lives on through the influence she had on the development of science and philosophy, as well as through the education of new generations of women engaged in philosophy and science. Hypatia remains one of the most important symbols of the fight for science and intellectual freedom in history.

Hypatia’s works and inventions:

  • Commentaries on Plato’s “Timaeus” and Aristotle’s “Categories” – Hypatia wrote commentaries on these philosophical works, which helped preserve and transmit the teachings of Plato and Aristotle through the ages.
  • Improvement of the astrolabe – an instrument for measuring the positions of celestial bodies, which became a key tool for astronomers at that time.
  • Celestial sphere – a tool for modeling the heavens, which she used to explain astronomical phenomena.
  • Work “Book on Calculation” – Although not preserved in its entirety, it is known that Hypatia worked on introducing methodology for solving mathematical problems, including geometric and algebraic ones.
  • Work on conic sections – Hypatia studied and developed the theory of conic sections, which was a significant contribution to the field of geometry. This work laid the foundation for the later development of analytical geometry.
  • Algebra and mathematics – she worked on mathematical sources, explaining and expanding the understanding of problems and relationships between arithmetic and geometry.

Leontion, 4th century BC

Leontion was truly a fascinating figure from antiquity, but information about her is very limited, making her somewhat mysterious. However, what we know about her makes her a significant part of philosophical history.

Leontion lived in the 4th century BC and was a student of Epicurus, the founder of the philosophical school of the Epicureans. Although her writings are mostly lost, there is one fragment of a letter she wrote to Epicurus, showing that she was deeply engaged in philosophy and intellectual debates of her time. This letter is valuable as it gives us insight into her relationship with Epicurus and her philosophical orientation.

Additionally, Leontion was known for criticizing Theophrastus, a philosopher who succeeded Aristotle at the Lyceum, showing her independent thinking and critical approach to the philosophical authorities of the time. Unfortunately, other information about her life and work is lost, and history has not preserved more data on her specific teachings or philosophical contributions.

Although she did not leave a large amount of written traces, her influence through her education in Epicurus’ school and her critical attitude towards later philosophical traditions speaks to how significant she was in the philosophical circles of that time.

Arete, 5th century BC

Arete of Cyrene, the daughter of the philosopher Aristippus, was a key figure in 5th-century BC philosophy, continuing the tradition of her father, the founder of the Cyrenaic School. Her father, Aristippus of Cyrene, was a disciple of the famous Socrates.

Although her works are lost, numerous historical sources mention her, including Diogenes Laertius, Strabo, Aelius, Clement of Alexandria, Theodoret of Cyrene, Aristocles, and Suda. According to records, some of the famous philosophers of that time studied in her school, such as Theodorus the Atheist and Anniceris. It is also known that 110 philosophers were her direct students.

The Cyrenaic School, founded by her father, was one of the first philosophical movements to systematically study the role of pleasure and pain in life. The philosophers of this school argued that discipline, knowledge, and virtuous behavior could lead to pleasure, while negative emotions such as anger and fear only increased pain. This philosophical approach was one of the first forms of hedonism, which was later developed over the centuries and became significant again in the 18th and 19th centuries thanks to philosophers like Jeremy Bentham.

Arete enriched the work of this philosophical school with additional aspects, emphasizing the importance of rational enjoyment and its connection to virtues and moral behavior. Her philosophy not only glorified pleasure but insisted that pleasure be based on rational principles and ethics.

Her son, Aristippus II, inherited the school she led, demonstrating her lasting influence on the philosophical tradition. Her ability to create a long-lasting intellectual legacy through the school and students contributes to her recognition in the history of philosophy.

Although her works are lost, Arete was known and esteemed by great philosophers, including Socrates, Plato, and later Aristotle, who were familiar with her teachings and role in the philosophical circles of that time. Her influence is evident in the writings of later philosophers, such as Hierocles, Cleanthes, and other Stoic philosophers.

She was particularly known for her critiques of the philosophical ideas of that time, among which Theophrastus, Aristotle’s successor at the Lyceum, stands out. Arete criticized his views on ethics and the nature of virtues, indicating her philosophical approach and ability to challenge the dominant theories of her time.

Although her works are lost, Arete laid the foundations for the development of the philosophy of virtues and ethics. Her students, including many prominent philosophers, continued her work, shaping future philosophical schools and laying the groundwork for further development of philosophy. At a time when women were rarely recognized as intellectual authorities, Arete laid the groundwork for later thinkers and contributed to the slow recognition of women in philosophy. Although her name is not as well-known as that of many male philosophers of that period, her philosophical legacy certainly shaped the history of philosophy.

Additional literature and sources:

Primary sources:

Diogenes Laertius, Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers - contains information about women in philosophy, including Themistoclea.
Plutarch, Life of Pericles - mentions Aspasia and her intellectual influence.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata - records information about the Pythagoreans, including Theano and other female philosophers.
Cicero, Tusculan Disputations - mentions Leontion and her critical attitude towards Aristotelians.

Secondary sources and literature:

Mary Ellen Waithe, A History of Women Philosophers, Volume 1: Ancient Women Philosophers 600 B.C. - 500 A.D. - a comprehensive study of women philosophers in ancient Greece and Rome.
Sarah Pomeroy, Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity - analyzes the role of women in ancient Greece, including their contributions to philosophy.
Lisa Shapiro (ed.), The Routledge Companion to Feminist Philosophy - contains chapters on women in philosophy throughout history, including ancient Greece.
Rebecca Buxton & Lisa Whiting, The Philosopher Queens - a more modern approach to women in philosophy, including those from ancient times.
If you want to learn more, these books are an excellent starting point.

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