Timaeus of Locri

Who is Timaeus of Locri?

Timaeus of Locri was a Greek Pythagorean philosopher living ca. 420–380 BCE. He features in Plato's Timaeus, where he is said to come from Locri in Italy, thus of Locrian origin. He also appears as one of the speakers in Plato's Critias.

He is credited with the lost work On the Soul of the Universe, although some historians believe this may be an abridgement of Plato's dialogue of Timaeus.

Other references to Timaeus of Locri from antiquity are

Cicero, in his De re publica, where he is described as an intimate of Plato

Proclus, in his Commentary on Plato's Timaeus

Simplicius and Diogenes Laërtius, in their descriptions of and commentaries on Aristotle's work

All ancient references to him seem to have derived from Plato. According to M. F. Burnyeat he may well be a fictional character invented for the dialogue bearing his name.