# Timaeus of Locri

> character in Plato's dialogues; purported ancient Greek philosopher

**Wikidata**: [Q176287](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q176287)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timaeus_of_Locri)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/timaeus-of-locri

## Summary
Timaeus of Locri is a character appearing in Plato's dialogues and is purported to be an ancient Greek philosopher from Locri. He is historically associated with the fields of astronomy, philosophy, mathematics, and writing, though his existence as a distinct historical figure remains a subject of scholarly debate. His legacy is preserved through his role in Platonic literature and the lunar crater named in his honor.

## Biography
- **Born**: 500 BCE (approximate date, indicated as -0500-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- **Nationality**: Ancient Greek (from Locri)
- **Education**: Data not available in source material
- **Known for**: Being a character in Plato's dialogues and a purported ancient Greek philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and writer
- **Employer(s)**: Data not available in source material
- **Field(s)**: Astronomy, Philosophy, Mathematics, Writing

## Contributions
Timaeus of Locri is primarily known for his literary and philosophical contributions as depicted in ancient texts.
- **Platonic Dialogues**: He serves as a central character in Plato's works, specifically the dialogue named *Timaeus*, where he expounds on cosmological and metaphysical theories.
- **The World's Soul**: He is associated with the concept of the "World's Soul," a key philosophical construct in ancient thought, represented in source data by the media file `timaeus.gif`.
- **Philosophical Discourse**: As a purported philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, his attributed contributions involve the synthesis of mathematical principles with cosmological theories, though specific papers or patents are not listed in the provided source material.

## FAQs
**Who was Timaeus of Locri in historical context?**
Timaeus of Locri is described as a character in Plato's dialogues and is purported to be an ancient Greek philosopher. While some traditions regard him as a real historical figure who lived around 500 BCE, others view him as a literary invention of Plato.

**What fields of study is Timaeus of Locri associated with?**
He is linked to four primary disciplines: astronomy, philosophy, mathematics, and writing. These associations stem from the content of the dialogues where he appears and the traditional attribution of Pythagorean knowledge to him.

**Is there a physical landmark named after Timaeus of Locri?**
Yes, a lunar crater named "Timaeus" exists on the Moon, serving as a celestial tribute to the figure. This crater is cataloged with a sitelink count of 15 in the provided data.

**What is the significance of the name "Timaeus of Locres"?**
"Timaeus of Locres" is an alias for Timaeus of Locri, referring to his purported origin in the Greek city of Locri. This variation in naming highlights the geographical context often attached to his identity in historical records.

## Why They Matter
Timaeus of Locri matters because he represents a crucial bridge between Pythagorean thought and Platonic philosophy. Through his character in Plato's dialogues, complex ideas regarding the structure of the universe, the nature of the soul, and the application of mathematics to cosmology were codified for future generations. Without this literary vehicle, the transmission of specific ancient Greek cosmological theories might have been significantly different or lost entirely. His association with the "World's Soul" concept continues to influence philosophical discussions on the interconnectedness of the cosmos.

## Notable For
- **Literary Role**: Serving as the primary speaker in Plato's dialogue *Timaeus*.
- **Multidisciplinary Identity**: Being identified simultaneously as an astronomer, philosopher, mathematician, and writer.
- **Celestial Commemoration**: Having a lunar crater named "Timaeus" in his honor.
- **Historical Ambiguity**: Existing as a figure who is both a "character in Plato's dialogues" and a "purported ancient Greek philosopher."
- **Conceptual Association**: Being linked to the philosophical concept of the "World's Soul."

## Body

### Identity and Origins
Timaeus of Locri is defined primarily as a character in Plato's dialogues and a purported ancient Greek philosopher. His name appears in various forms, including the alias "Timaeus of Locres." The Greek name is recorded as Τίμαιος ὁ Λοκρός. He is classified as a human and an instance of a character in Plato's dialogues. His existence is dated approximately to 500 BCE, with birth and death dates listed as -0500-00-00T00:00:00Z in the source data, indicating a lack of precise historical record.

### Fields of Expertise
The source material explicitly categorizes Timaeus of Locri into four distinct professional domains. He is identified as an astronomer, defined as a scientist who studies celestial bodies. He is also a philosopher, described as a person with extensive knowledge of philosophy. Additionally, he is recognized as a mathematician with extensive knowledge of mathematics and a writer who uses written words to communicate ideas. These occupations are linked to specific identifiers: Q11063, Q4964182, Q36180, and Q170790.

### Philosophical Concepts and Works
A central element of Timaeus's legacy is the concept of the "World's Soul." This philosophical idea is visually represented in the source data by the image file `timaeus.gif`. While specific publications are not detailed with titles or years in the provided text, his role as a writer implies the production of literary works or the articulation of ideas within the dialogues. His work is deeply tied to the synthesis of mathematical and astronomical knowledge within a philosophical framework.

### Digital and Academic Identifiers
Timaeus of Locri is extensively cataloged across various academic and digital databases.
- **Wikidata**: He is assigned the ID Q451457 and the Google Knowledge Graph ID /m/05gq01.
- **VIAF**: Multiple VIAF identifiers are associated with him, including 183867708 and 280591029.
- **GND**: The German National Library identifier is 118758276.
- **BnF**: The Bibliothèque nationale de France ID is 028951468.
- **Other IDs**: He holds identifiers in numerous other systems, including ISNI (079538150), LCCN (n8003980), and various academic authority files (e.g., 153259299, 6455, 30142).
- **Sitelinks**: The entity has 30 sitelinks across different language Wikipedias, indicating a broad international recognition of the figure.

### Legacy and Commemoration
The impact of Timaeus of Locri extends beyond literature into astronomy. A lunar crater named "Timaeus" serves as a permanent celestial marker for his name. This crater is a distinct entity in astronomical databases, separate from the philosophical figure but linked by name. The existence of this crater underscores the historical significance attributed to the name "Timaeus" in the scientific community. His story remains a subject of study, with 94 sitelinks for the concept of "astronomer" and 108 for "philosopher" potentially relating to discussions of his work.

### Data Structure and Classification
In structured knowledge graphs, Timaeus of Locri is an instance of Q21070568 (character in Plato's dialogues) and Q5 (human). He is connected to the broader category of "thinker" with the ID thinker/4018. The data also includes specific reference numbers such as 56437, 30459, and 49, which likely correspond to specific catalog entries or academic references. The presence of multiple aliases and cross-references (e.g., P9964, P13049) highlights the complexity of tracking this figure across different historical and digital archives.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. general catalog of BnF