Hey guys, my name is Pythagoras, and I'm from Samos (it's one of the Greek Islands). I was born about 569 BC, and I'm not sure why but I'm still here today. If you didn't know, I'm a Greek mathematician and philosopher, and I made important developments in astronomy, the theory of music, and geometry. I was the first to actually prove the Pythagorean theorem, even though it was discovered by the Babylonians 1000 years before.
My Theorem
For a better understanding of the Pythagorean theorem, click here .
Samos, my home
Here's a bio of my life:
As you know I was born in Samos, 569 B.C. I moved to Miletus where I studied under some of the greatest mathematicians of the time like Thales (the first person to predict a solar eclipse) and Anaximander.
My life was affected by the complex geopolitics of ancient Greece, so I'll do my best to explain. The Persian Empire under Cyrus joined with the state of Media creating the Empire of the Medes and the Persians. They then went on to defeat Lydia, the most notable Greek kingdom in Asia Minor. The Persians just went along conquering people all the way to the western coast of Asia Minor.
In 538 B.C. the Persians took over my hometown, Samos. Polycrates, who officially took over the land, established Samos as a center of power for the Empire. The reason that all of this is important is that Polycrates got mad at me and kicked me out of his empire. Before going into exile, I obtained a letter of introduction from him addressed to the ruler of Egypt. However once I got to Egypt, the leaders there weren't very excited about me coming in. Eventually they came to accept me and I learned a lot of things there. When the Persians conquered Egypt, I was captured and dragged to Babylon. There, I got involved in the Magi priesthood, where I learned more about music and geometry.
In 522 B.C., Polycrates died and I got to go back to Samos. But before I went home, I stopped in Crete to study its system of law. Once I got back to Samos I established a school known as the Semicircle. The Samians started trying to get me to do other things, like go on diplomatic missions. I wasn't really into that, so I left Samos again.
I went to Croton, where I established a school there. This one was dedicated to the study of mathematics and philosophy with a mystical aspect to its teachings. The inner circle of students, known as the mathematekoi (mathematicians), were known for their long hair, being vegetarians, and having no personal property. They were very superstitious, and did not do things such as stepping over crossbars or eating beans. These superstitions are similar to modern ones like "dont walk under a ladder" or "dont let a black cat cross your path". They maintained vows of secrecy and were taught that reality was mathematical in nature. The outer circle of students, known as the akousmatikoi (listeners), did not have to maintain as strict of rules. In the school, male and females were treated as equals - something unheard of in that day.
The mystical aspects of Pythagoreanism held that philosophy tends to purify the soul and that the soul can attain union with the divine (hey, if you were as smart as I was you would name a math philosophy after yourself too). The Pythagorean school in Croton taught that geometry is the highest form of mathematical studies. My most famous theorem, the Pythagorean theorem, was first proven here. The Pythagoreans eventually gained political control of Croton. However, soon afterwards, the Pythagoreans were banished by political opponents.
Significance of Numbers:
even numbers: male
odd numbers: female
1 - the number of reason
2 - the first female number, the number of opinion
3 - the first male number, the number of harmony
4 - the number of justice
5 - the number of marriage
6 - the number of creation
7 - the number of opportunity
10 - the most significant number, the number of the universe
