This page lists some links to ancient philosophy, namely philosophical thought extending as far as early post-classical history (). Overview Genuine philosophical thought, depending upon original individual insights, arose in many cultures roughly contemporaneously. Karl Jaspers termed the intense period of philosophical development beginning around the 7th century BCE and concluding around the 3rd century BCE an Axial Age in human thought. In Western philosophy, the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire marked the ending of Hellenistic philosophy and ushered in the beginnings of medieval philosophy, whereas in the Middle East, the spread of Islam through the Arab Empire marked the end of Old Iranian philosophy and ushered in the beginnings of early Islamic philosophy. Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy Philosophers Pre-Socratic philosophers Milesian School Thales (624 – c 546 BCE) Anaximander (610 – 546 BCE) Anaximenes of Miletus (c. 585 – c. 525 BCE) Pythagoreans Pythagoras (582 – 496 BCE) Philolaus (470 – 380 BCE) Alcmaeon of Croton Archytas (428 – 347 BCE) Heraclitus (535 – 475 BCE) Eleatic School Xenophanes (570 – 470 BCE) Parmenides (510 – 440 BCE) Zeno of Elea (490 – 430 BCE) Melissus of Samos (c. 470 BCE – ?) Pluralists Empedocles (490 – 430 BCE) Anaxagoras (500 – 428 BCE) Atomists Leucippus (first half of 5th century BCE) Democritus (460 – 370 BCE) Metrodorus of Chios (4th century BCE) Pherecydes of Syros (6th century BCE) Sophists Protagoras (490 – 420 BCE) Gorgias (487 – 376 BCE) Antiphon (480 – 411 BCE) Prodicus (465/450 – after 399 BCE) Hippias (middle of the 5th century BCE) Thrasymachus (459 – 400 BCE) Callicles Critias Lycophron Diogenes of Apollonia ( – ?) Classical Greek philosophers Socrates (469 – 399 BCE) Euclid of Megara (450 – 380 BCE) Antisthenes (445 – 360 BCE) Aristippus (435 – 356 BCE) Plato (428 – 347 BCE) Speusippus (407 – 339 BCE) Diogenes of Sinope (400 – 325 BCE) Xenocrates (396 – 314 BCE) Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE) Stilpo (380 – 300 BCE) Theophrastus (370 – 288 BCE) Hellenistic philosophy Pyrrho (365 – 275 BCE) Epicurus (341 – 270 BCE) Metrodorus of Lampsacus (the younger) (331 – 278 BCE) Zeno of Citium (333 – 263 BCE) Cleanthes ( – ) Timon (320 – 230 BCE) Arcesilaus (316 – 232 BCE) Menippus (3rd century BCE) Archimedes ( – 212 BCE) Chrysippus (280 – 207 BCE) Carneades (214 – 129 BCE) Clitomachus