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The Ancient Era

Founders of faiths, first philosophers, and empire builders, from the earliest records to the fall of Rome.

Ancient era

Plotinus

205 CE – 270 CE

Hellenistic Platonist philosopher and founder of Neoplatonism (c. 204/5–270)

Ancient era

Philo of Alexandria

15 BCE – 45 CE

Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria (c. 20 BCE-c. 50 CE)

Ancient era

Origen

185 CE – 254 CE

Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian (c. 185 – c. 253)

Ancient era

Clement of Alexandria

150 CE – 215 CE

Christian theologian (c.150 – c.215)

Ancient era

Athanasius of Alexandria

296 CE – May 2, 373 CE

Pope of Alexandria from 328 to 373 (296–373)

Ancient era

Cyril of Alexandria

376 CE – June 27, 444 CE

Patriarchate of Alexandria from 412 to 444

Ancient era

Anthony the Great

251 CE – 357 CE

Egyptian Christian monk, hermit, and saint (died 356)

Ancient era

Pachomius

292 CE – May 9, 348 CE

Egyptian saint

Ancient era

Mary of Egypt

344 CE – 421 CE

Egyptian hermit and female Christian saint

Ancient era

Saint Monica

332 CE – 387 CE

Christian saint; mother of St. Augustine (c.332-387)

Ancient era

Simeon Stylites

389 CE – September 2, 459 CE

Christian ascetic saint

Ancient era

Ephrem the Syrian

306 CE – June 9, 373 CE

Syriac saint, theologian and writer (c. 306 – 373)

Ancient era

John Chrysostom

349 CE – September 14, 407 CE

Church father, Archbishop of Constantinople and Christian saint (c. 347–407)

Ancient era

Tertullian

150 CE – 220 CE

Roman Christian theologian and writer (c. 155 – c. 220)

Ancient era

Lucian of Samosata

120 CE – c. 200 CE

2nd-century Syrian satirist and rhetorician

Ancient era

Apollodorus of Damascus

50 CE – 125 CE

2nd century Syrian Roman architect and engineer

Ancient era

Porphyry

233 CE – 301 CE

3rd-century Greek Neoplatonist philosopher

Ancient era

Iamblichus

240 CE – 320 CE

Syrian Neoplatonist philosopher (c. 245 – c. 325)

Ancient era

Libanius

314 CE – 393 CE

Greek rhetorician (4th century AD)

Ancient era

Ammianus Marcellinus

330 CE – 395 CE

4th-century Roman historian and soldier

Ancient era

Ulpian

170 CE – 228 CE

Early 3rd century Roman jurist

A

Ancient era

Abba Arikha

160 CE – 247 CE

Jewish Babylonian scholar (175–247)

R

Ancient era

Rav Ashi

352 CE – 427 CE

Babylonian rabbi

B

Ancient era

Bardaisan

July 11, 154 CE – 222 CE

Syrian gnostic, scientist, philosopher and poet (154-222)

Ancient era

Nestorius

381 CE – 451 CE

Christian theologian (c. 386–c. 451)

Ancient era

Procopius

326 CE – May 27, 366 CE

4th-century Roman usurper

Ancient era

Romanos the Melodist

490 CE – 556 CE

Greek hymnographer

Ancient era

Matthew the Apostle

c. 10 CE – 74 CE

Christian evangelist and apostle (10-74)

Ancient era

Mark the Evangelist

12 CE – April 25, 1968 CE

Credited author of the Gospel of Mark and Christian saint; traditionally identified with John Mark (20-68)

Ancient era

Thomas the Apostle

c. 1 CE – July 3, 1972 CE

One of the Twelve Apostles in the New Testament

Ancient era

Jerome

345 CE – September 30, 420 CE

4th and 5th-century Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint and Doctor of the Church

Ancient era

Benedict of Nursia

March 3, 480 CE – March 23, 547 CE

Founder of Christian monasticism, founder of the Benedictine order (480–547)

Ancient era

Saint Patrick

385 CE – March 17, 461 CE

5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland

Ancient era

Saint Valentine

175 CE – February 14, 273 CE

3rd-century Roman Christian saint (175–273)

Ancient era

Hillel the Elder

50 BCE – 8 CE

Jewish religious leader of the 1st century

Ancient era

Zhuangzi

369 BCE – 288 BCE

Chinese Taoist philosopher (c. 369–286 BC)

Ancient era

Bodhidharma

483 CE – 540 CE

Indian-Chinese philosopher and Buddhist Monk

Ancient era

Narmer

c. 3200 BCE – 3050 BCE

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period

Ancient era

Djoser

c. 2800 BCE – c. 2700 BCE

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty

Ancient era

Khufu

c. 2700 BCE – 2566 BCE

Fourth Dynasty ancient Egyptian pharaoh

Ancient era

Ashurbanipal

685 BCE – 631 BCE

Assyrian ruler

Ancient era

Croesus

b. 596 BCE

King of Lydia

Ancient era

Solon

638 BCE – 558 BCE

Athenian legislator

Ancient era

Cleisthenes

565 BCE – 492 BCE

Late 6th century Athenian politician and reformer

Ancient era

Alcibiades

450 BCE – 404 BCE

Athenian statesman

Ancient era

Xenophon

430 BCE – 354 BCE

Greek philosopher, historian, soldier (c. 430–355/354 BC)

Ancient era

Phidias

490 BCE – 430 BCE

Greek sculptor, painter and architect (c.480–430 BC)

Ancient era

Praxiteles

395 BCE – 330 BCE

Attic sculptor

Ancient era

Anaximander

620 BCE – 547 BCE

Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

Ancient era

Anaxagoras

500 BCE – 428 BCE

5th-century BC Greek philosopher

Ancient era

Parmenides

515 BCE – 470 BCE

Late 6th/early 5th century BC Greek pre-Socratic philosopher

Ancient era

Empedocles

490 BCE – 430 BCE

5th century BC Greek philosopher

Ancient era

Protagoras

486 BCE – 420 BCE

Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher (c.490–c.420 BC)

Ancient era

Aristarchus of Samos

310 BCE – 230 BCE

Greek astronomer and mathematician (c.310–c.230 BC)

Ancient era

Hipparchus

190 BCE – 120 BCE

2nd century Greek astronomer, geographer and mathematician

Ancient era

Epaminondas

418 BCE – 362 BCE

Theban general and statesman (419/411–362 BC)

Ancient era

Pyrrhus of Epirus

318 BCE – 272 BCE

King of Epirus from 307 to 302 and 297 to 272 BC

Ancient era

Darius III

380 BCE – 330 BCE

Last king of the Achaemenid Empire (r. 336–330 BC)

Ancient era

Artemisia I of Caria

c. 500 BCE – c. 500 BCE

5th century BC queen of Halicarnassus, Kos, Nisyros and Kalymnos

Ancient era

Mithridates VI of Pontus

134 BCE – 63 BCE

Ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus from 120 to 63 BC