Circa 490-430 B.C.E.
Philosopher, Statesman, Poet

Beginnings. Like Pythagoras, the charismatic Empedocles was a magnet for legends; unlike Pythagoras, though, he might well himself have actively done all he could to encourage them. Born into an aristocratic family in Acragas, Sicily, around 490 B.C.E., he seems to have vigorously supported the democratic faction in the politics of his home city. The proximity of Acragas to Croton and Elea in southern Italy brought him into contact with both Parmenides and the Pythagoreans, and strong traces of their influence are evident in his own work.

Showman. A flashy and flamboyant showman, Empedocles is said to have traveled extensively through the western Mediterranean, dressed in expensive purple robes, bronze boots, and a golden crown. He professed extraordinary power over the natural world, as well as the means to perform miraculous cures. While Aristotle hailed him as the...