Aristotle

384–322 BC

ARISTOTLE TEACHING ALEXANDER

Aristotle was one of the most famous philosophers of all time. He was a student of Plato, a contemporary of Philip II of Macedonia, and a teacher of his son Alexander the Great. He wrote on a vast variety of topics including logic, rhetoric, ethics, government, physics and biology. He was a systematic thinker and organized much of the knowledge of his time into a methodical course of study. And his works have been influential throughout all of western thought and history.

Aristotle was born in Stagira, on the Peninsula of Chalcidice in Thrace. His father was a court physician for the king of Macedonia, and he had a long association with the Macedonian court during the period of Philip II's rise to power. He was sent to study at Plato's Academy at the age of 18, and was ultimately recognized as one of the top scholars. He left the Academy and returned to Macedonia in 347 B.C., and a few years later became a tutor for Alexander the Great. He returned to Athens in 335 B.C. and founded a school called the Lyceum. Several members of Plato's academy joined him there. On the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., Athens rebelled against Macedonia, and at that time Aristotle returned to Macedonia where he died a year later.

Key events during the life of Aristotle:

Year	Event
374 BC	Father died, left in custody of his uncle.
367 BC	Went to Athens to study at Plato's Academy.
347 BC	Left the Academy after the death of Plato.
342 BC	Became a tutor for Alexander the Great.
335 BC	Returned to Athens. Opened up a school at the Lyceum.
323 BC	Fled from Athens after the death of Alexander the Great.
322 BC	Died.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Alexander's Childhood and Youth  in	Alexander the Great  by  Jacob Abbott
Before the Time of Christ  in	Stories of the Great Scientists  by  Charles R. Gibson
Aristotle, Zeno, Diogenes and Apelles  in	Famous Men of Greece  by  John H. Haaren and A. B. Poland
Aristotle  in	Back Matter  by  books/horne/statesmen/_back.html
The Wise Man Who Lisped  in	Stories of the Ancient Greeks  by  Charles D. Shaw
Alexander the Great  in	The Story of the Greek People  by  Eva March Tappan

Image Links
Aristotle teaching Alexander, Laplante  in Famous Men of Greece	Aristotle lecturing, Grosse  in Famous Men of Greece	Philosophers of Athens, Raphael  in Famous Men of Greece
Celebrated Greeks—I.  in Greatest Nations - Greece	Aristotle teaching  in Back Matter	School of Athens (Plato with Aristotle beside him is lecturing)  in The Story of the Greek People

Contemporary	Short Biography
Plato	Writer of moral philosophy. Well known for 'Dialogues'. Student of Socrates.
Philip of Macedonia	Used statesmanship as well as military force to bring Greece under sway of Macedonia.
Alexander the Great	Greatest general of ancient times. Conquered Persian Empire with 40,000 soldiers.