Pythagoras
Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 BC – died c. 495 BC) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher and founder of the Pythagorean school. His political and religious teachings were known in the Magna Graecia area at his time and influenced the thinking of Plato and Aristotle, so that he indirectly influenced the development of Western philosophy. Details about his life are shrouded in legend, but he seems to have been the son of Mnesarkos, a jewel engraver or wealthy merchant on the island of Samos, off the coast of Anatolia. Modern scholars are still debating who Pythagoras' teacher was and which thinkers had influenced him. However, they objected that around 530 BC, Pythagoras moved to Croton on the Italian coast and founded a society with special societies. Those wishing to join had to be initiated first, and the community lived a lifestyle of togetherness and seclusion. This community also has rules regarding food. It is said that his followers were supposed to be vegetarians, but modern scholars doubt whether Pythagoras actually obliged his followers to abstain from meat.
