Female Philosophers of Ancient Greece

 

 

When the topic of ancient Greece and philosophy pops up you may have noticed the words of wisdom discussed more often than not came from the mouths of men.

We’ve probably all know a bit about the big three; Socrates, Plato and Aristotle (by the way an easy way to remember who comes first is to think of SPA, their initials!).

We haven’t heard much about female philosophers such as Hypatia, Hipparchia and Theano though have we?

They were all great philosophers of their day but with one drawback; they were women.

Yes females did attend the popular symposiums, the wine-drinking extravaganzas held by the philosophers of the day, where subjects such as how to be you and why everything in moderation is best were discussed, however these women were mostly Hetairai, ancient Greek courtesans, a polite term for a “kept mistress”.

 

 

Metics – Foreigners

 

 Usually these “kept mistress” were “metics” meaning foreigner, i.e. not an Athenian but from some other Greek city state or foreign country.

Metics were obliged to pay tax to live in Athens and were not allowed to marry Athenians.

As it was not acceptable to be a single woman in those days, the next best thing was to become mistress to an Athenian; how else was one to pay one’s taxes?

However being a metic did have its advantages:

A metic was not burdened by the Athenian laws which applied to married Athenian women, who had little or no social life and were not authorized to own land, nor participate in any financial transactions.

 

 

These beautiful, sophisticated, educated and respected courtesans were, without a doubt, the most liberated women of ancient Greece.

They were retained by wealthy, aristocratic men, often politicians, to act as either a hostess or elite companion, a perk denied “respectable” wives and daughters of ancient Greece, who rarely left their homes and had almost no rights and no political or legal power.

 

Male Philosophers and Their Female Counterparts

 

 

Aristotle (384–322 BC), the revered philosopher believed women were inferior to men; in his work Politics, he states:

 “As regards the sexes, the male is by nature superior and the female inferior, the male ruler and the female subject”

Plato and the mathematician Pythagoras were more open-minded when it came to women.

At around the age of about forty Plato made the first of his many trips to “The Pythagorean school” in Croton, one of the most prosperous cities of  Magna Graecia; “Greater Greece” in southern Italy.

Pythagoros, one of the most influential mathematicians and way ahead of his time, had founded a school where anyone was accepted, no one was turned away.

 Even women were allowed to join, in fact, Theano of Croton, the wife and student of Pythagoras was one of the first female philosophers of ancient Greece.

On returning home to Athens, Plato, inspired by the Pythagorean way of life, set about establishing his own school.

Plato’s academy was a private school however, most of the members were men from the upper-classes (including Aristotle, who joined at the age of eighteen) although women are known to have studied with Plato at the Academy.

 

 

Wise Women

 

Below I’ve listed some of the most important female philosophers of ancient Greece (In no particular order).

These were strong wise women who by asserting themselves managed to overcome the “Men only” philosophy of the day.

 

Hypatia of Alexandria

Neo-Platonist

 

 

Hypatia, a confirmed paganist and one of the first women to study and teach mathematics, astronomy and philosophy, was born in Alexandria, Egypt around 350 CE.

She was taught by her father, the mathematician Theon, the head of the University of Alexandria.

It is said that Book III of Theon’s version of Ptolemy’s Almagest was actually the work of Hypatia.

Hypatia never married, drove around freely in her own chariot wearing men’s clothes disregarding the rules of public behavior of women.

She became a philosopher of the Neoplatonic School, a belief system in which everything emanates from the One.

Although she was a pagan she was tolerant towards Christians and taught many students who had probably converted to Christianity out of fear of persecution as they were considered a threat to Christianity.

In A.D. 415 Christian fanatics, following the orders of Cyril, the Patriarch of Alexandria, murdered Hypatia claiming she was a heretic who practiced black magic.

 

 

They pulled her from her chariot, ripped off her clothes and tore the flesh from her bones.

Her remains were carried outside of the city limits and were burned just as was done with the worst criminals as a way of symbolically purifying the city.

Cyril was later made a saint for destroying paganism.

After Hypatia’s death the University of Alexandria, again on the orders of Cyril, was burned down along with pagan temples.

This caused many intellectuals and artists to flee from the now Christian city of Alexandria.

 

 Arete of Cyrene

Hedonist Philosopher

 

 

Arete of Cyrene (4th-3rd century BCE) was the daughter of Aristippus of Cyrene, a philosopher and former student of Socrates.

Aristippus had left Cyrene, a city in North Africa then part of the great Greek Empire and now part of Libya, to become a student of Socrates in Athens.

Upon his return to Cyrene he founded the Cyrenaic school of philosophy, one of the first schools to have a basis in hedonism, where he taught that only pure, natural good is pleasure and pleasure is the purpose of life.

In those times women were not allowed to attend public meetings or discussions however as  Platos’s academy, the first university in the World was private Arete took advantage of that and after studying there went on to teach natural and moral philosophy in the schools of Athens.

Arete had a son who she named Aristippus after her father and rather than hire tutors to teach him, as was the norm in those days, she taught him herself.

He also became a philosopher and eventually principal of the Cyrenean School.

After her father’s death Arete took over the leadership of the school.

 

Hipparchia of Maroneia

The Cynic

 

 

Hipparchia of Maroneia (350BCE – 280BC) born into an aristocratic family in Maroneia, Thrace has been labeled as the first liberated woman in history.

Her family moved to Athens when Metrocles, Hipparchia’s brother, became a pupil in Aristotle’s Lyceum.

When Metrocles began to follow Crates of Thebes, the most famous Cynic philosopher in Greece at that time, Hipparchia, known for her intellectual curiosity and who had a basic education also began to follow Crate’s teachings and became the first female student of the School.

The Cynics were a group of philosophers who lived “according to nature” by ignoring social conventions and refusing any items not absolutely required for survival.

They carried what few belongings they owned around in a bag.

Hipparchia loved the philosophy and lifestyle of Crates and despite his advanced age and none too good looks, it wasn’t long before she fell madly in love with him too!

Regardless of the disapproval of her parents Hipparchia was so intent on marrying Crates she threatened to take her own life rather than live without him.

Crates tried to convince her not to do anything so rash by taking off his clothes in front of her and saying

“This is the groom and these are his possessions; choose accordingly.”

Hipparchia made her choice; she married Crates and went off with him to live the Cynic life of poverty on the streets of Athens.

 

 

The fact that Crates agreed to marry Hipparchia was an indication of how he must have felt the same crazy love for her as she did for him as hadn’t the earlier Cynic “Mad dog” Diogenes argued that philosophers should never marry?

No writings exist that are attributed to Hipparchia, most of what we know about her comes from later authors who focus on both her Cynic rhetoric and her nonconformity to traditional gender roles.

 

Diotima of Mantinea

The Philosophy of Love

 

 

Diotima (circa 440 B.C) was a powerful and gifted priestess and philosopher from Mantineia in the Peloponnese.

We only know of Diotima through the works of Plato; she is referred to in the Symposium of Plato as a wise woman that taught Socrates.

Diotima is also the only woman mentioned in “The Symposium” and what’s more she actually takes part in a discussion with Socrates about the nature of Eros, a concept in ancient Greek philosophy alluding to sensual or passionate love, from which the term erotic is derived.

 

 

However, saying that, the beliefs of Diotima are thought to be the origin of the concept of Platonic love (derived from the name of Plato), a kind of love where passionate desire never raises its head but is still regarded as more than just friendship.

(Socrates did confess that he had learned the mysteries of Love and Passion as a motive for Beauty and Truth from Diotima).

As well as a teacher and philosopher Diotima is said to have had healing powers which is why Plato states that by following her orders the Athenians managed to avoid the expected coming of The Plague of Athens for more than ten years.

The wisdom of Dotima doesn’t end here, according to the ancient historian Xenophon; she had advanced understanding of Pythagoreian numerals and difficult geometric theorems.

 

Themista of Lampsacus (371 – 271 BCE)

Epicurean philosophy

 

 

Themista of Lampsacus, an ancient Greek city located on the eastern side of the Hellespont (Known today as The Dardanelles) was one of the most important followers of the philosopher Epicurus who permitted women to attend his school which was known as “the Garden”.

Her husband Leonteus was also a pupil at the school of Epicurus at about the same time.

Basically you could say the philosophy of Epicurus; Epicureanism is the equivalent of hedonism; it’s all about pleasure, comfort, and high living!

 Themista was one of the first women in history to write a book on Philosophy; “The Vanity of Glory”, a book which at the time was quite inspirational.

She was sometimes called the female Solon c. 630 – c. 560 B.C (Athenian statesman, lawmaker, political philosopher and poet, one of the Seven Sages of Greece) and Epicurus was so fascinated by her that he dedicated many of his works to her.

Many years after the death of Themista, Cicero (106 B.C – 43 BC Roman statesman, lawyer and philosopher) mocked Epicurus for writing “countless volumes in praise of Themista,” instead of  the male philosophers he himself deemed more worthy of praise i.e Miltiades, Themistocles or Epaminondas.

However, in spite of ridiculing Epicurus over his obsession with Themista, Cicero quoted from her book in a speech he made before the Roman senate.

A case of the pot calling the kettle black!

In honour of their beloved philosopher Themista and Leonteus named their son Epicurus.

 Themista’s influence carried on well into the Christian era.

 

Themistoclea of Delphi

Teacher of Pythagoras

 

 

Themistoclea of Delphi (Also known as Aristoclea or Theoclea) was a priestess of Pythia, the Oracle at Delphi, who taught at the temple of Apollo in Delphi during the 6th century B.C

Themistoclea stood out among the other female philosophers of her day owing to her exceptional knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, music and philosophy.

It’s said that due to her love of geometry she decorated the Temple of Apollo with geometric shapes.

She was referred to by the mathematician Pythagoras as being his teacher of ethics and geometry.

 

 

Themistoclea made such an impression on Pythagoras that he began accepting women in his school, not only as students but also as teachers.

Even though she was extremely well-known in her time hardly any facts about Themistoclea exist today.

 

 Theano of Croton (500 BCE)

Wife of Pythagoras

 

 

Theano, a beautiful and intelligent woman, was born in Croton, in Magna Grecia, Southern Italy in 546 B.C. (others says in Crete) and was the daughter of Brontinus, a follower of Orphism.

Orphism concentrated on the death and resurrection of the Egyptian god Osiris and was associated with the works of the mythical poet Orpheus and with reincarnation and the afterlife.

Brontinus and his daughter Theano became students of Pythagoras, a follower of Egyptian tradition himself, who accepted men and women into his cult of the Pythagoreans in Croton on an equal basis.

 

 

Theano, already known for her theories and lessons, spent many hours each day in the company of Pythagoras, discussing theories on mathematics, the universe and other sciences.

It’s no surprise then really, even though Theano was around thirty years younger than Pythagoras, that they fell in love and eventually married and went on to have five children; three daughters, Damo, Myia and Arignote and two sons, Mnesarchus and Teleuges.

After the death of Pythagoras, Theano and her children left the Magna Graecia for the the island of Samos, the birthplace of Pythagoras, where with the support of her children, who were all philosophers, she continued the Pythagorean Cult.

Two of her daughters, Myia of Croton and Arignote, both became philosophers in their own right.

 

 Leontion

Epicurean Philosopher

 

 

Leontion, who lived during the 4th century B.C., was a student of the philosopher Epicurus although many historians do believe she was a Hetaera, an upper-class educated courtesan and may have been the companion of Epicurus.

Nothing remains of her writings apart from pieces of one of the  letters she wrote to Epicurus.

However Leontion remained famous after her death for her well-written arguments against particular philosophical ideas.

Cicero remarked on her courage for her criticism of the philosopher Theophrastus, Aristotle’s most famous pupil and successor as the head of Aristotle’s Peripatetic school, the wandering school of Athens.

She also gained praise and was mentioned by Diogenes Laertius (biographer of Greek philosophers).

 

Aspasia of Miletus

The Ancient Influencer

 

 

Aspasia, the most famous woman of Ancient Athens, was considered the most beautiful and intelligent courtesan of the city.

She was born between 470 and 460 BCE in Miletus, Ionian Greece (today, Turkey) which made her a “metic” i.e not a citizen of Athens.

She was companion to Pericles (c. 495 -429 BC); a Greek statesman and general during the Golden Age of Athens (from 480 to 404 BC).

The most powerful men of Athens vied for an invite to her symposia (dinner parties), where intellectuals and philosophers gathered to debate on such subjects as art, literature, music and the meaning of life.

Aspasia and the philosopher Socrates were firm friends; it’s even said it was her teachings that influenced him the most.

 

 

Aspasia met Pericles around c. 450 BCE and after he divorced his wife they lived together as husband and wife for over twenty years.

Pericles treated her as an equal and Aspasia is known to have advised him on matters of state and wrote many of his speeches; he was often condemned for his dependence upon her validation of him.

 

 

 Plato even went as far to suggest that Aspasia had written Pericles’ most famous speech; ‘The Funeral Oration’ (an official speech for the Athenian soldiers killed at one of the opening battles of the Peloponnesian War).

Aspasia bore Pericles a son, also called Pericles who, because of their illegal relationship and her status as a metic, was denied Athenian citizenship.

After his legitimate sons died, Pericles did appeal, unsuccessfully, to the Assembly to grant citizenship status to his son. (Not until after his death was his wish fulfilled).

After the death of Pericles in 429 BC; a victim of The Plague of Athens 430-427 BC, as were his legitimate sons before him, Aspasia became the companion of his friend Lysicles, originally an uneducated sheep merchant, whom she had helped become an Athenian political leader and general.

 

 

Lysicles was killed in the Peloponnesian War’s campaign in Caria of 428-427 BC.

Nothing else is known of Aspasia after the death of Lysicles, not even the year of her death.

 

It’s Who You Know

 

It appears that back in ancient Greece for a woman to become a philosopher she had to have either a philosopher father, be accepted into one of the more progressive philosopher’s schools, or become the courtesan of a philosopher!