Anaximander: Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

610 – c. 546 BC) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who lived in Miletus, a city of Ionia. He belonged to the Milesian school and learned the teachings of his master Thales. He succeeded him and became the second master of that school where he counted Anaximenes and Pythagoras amongst his pupils.

Anaximander
Raphael representing Anaximander (Roma, Museo Nazionale Romano). Probably Roman copy of an earlier Greek original. This is the only existing image of Anaximander from the ancient world.
Born	c. 611 BC
Died	c. 546 BC
Era	Pre-Socratic philosophy
Region	Western Philosophy
School	Ionian Philosophy, Milesian school, Naturalism
Main interests	Metaphysics, astronomy, geometry, geography
Notable ideas	The apeiron is the arche Evolutionary view of living things Earth floats unsupported Mechanical model of the sky Water of rain from evaporation
Influences Thales of Miletus
Influenced All pre-socratic philosophy, in particular: Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Democritus, Greek astronomy

Little of his life and work is known today. According to available historical documents, he is the first philosopher known to have written down his studies, although only one fragment of his work remains. Fragmentary testimonies found in documents after his death provide a portrait of the man.