List of ancient Milesians

The Milesians were the inhabitants of Miletus, an ancient Greek city in Anatolia, modern-day Turkey, near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and at the mouth of the Meander River. Settlers from Crete moved to Miletus sometime in 16th century BC. By the 6th century BC, Miletus had become a maritime empire, and the Milesians spread out across Anatolia and even as far as the Crimea and Olbia, Ukraine, founding new colonies.

Noted Milesians:

• Miletus, the mythological founder of the city
• Cadmus of Miletus, a historian, perhaps mythical
• Arctinus of Miletus, 8th century BC Greek epic poet
• Thales (c. 624–c. 546 BC), considered by many the "first" Greek natural philosopher; "the father of science"
• Anaximander (c. 610–c. 546 BC), philosopher; pupil of Thales
• Anaximenes of Miletus (c. 585–c. 528 BC), philosopher; friend or pupil of Anaximander
• Hecataeus of Miletus (c. 550–c. 476 BC), historian
• Hippodamus of Miletus (498–408 BC), Greek architect, urban planner, physician, mathematician, meteorologist and philosopher, considered the "father of European urban planning"^[1]
• Aspasia (c. 470-c. 400 BC), wife or courtesan of Pericles
• Timotheus of Miletus (c. 446–357 BC), Greek musician and poet
• Theopompus, pirate captain who served under Lysander in the Battle of Aegospotami (405 BC)
• Eubulides (fl. 4th century BC), philosopher; formulated the "liar paradox"
• Aristides of Miletus (fl. 2nd century BC), writer of shameless and amusing Milesian tales
• Alexander Polyhistor or Alexander of Miletus (fl. first half of the 1st century BC), Greek historian and geographer
• Aeschines of Miletus (fl. 1st century BC), Greek orator, a contemporary of Cicero
• Hesychius of Miletus or Hesychius Illustrius, 6th century chronicler and biographer
• Isidore of Miletus, 6th century Byzantine Greek architect

Milesian tyrants:

• Aristagoras (fl. late 6th century-early 5th century BC)
• Histiaeus (died 493 BC)
• Timarchus of Miletus (fl. 3rd century BC)

References

1. Glaeser, Edward (2011), Triumph of the City: How Our Best Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier, New York: Penguin Press, p. 19, ISBN 978-1-59420-277-3