Axiothea of Phlius facts for kids

Axiothea of Phlius (born around 350 BCE) was an amazing female student of two famous Greek thinkers, Plato and Speusippus.

She was born in Phlius, an ancient city in Greece. At the time, Phlius was controlled by Sparta, a powerful city-state. This was around the same time Plato started his famous school, the Platonic Academy, in Athens.

Her Journey to Study with Plato

It is said that Axiothea read one of Plato's most famous books, Republic. She was so inspired that she traveled all the way to Athens to become his student.

To focus on her studies and avoid certain social expectations for women at that time, Axiothea chose to dress like a man while she was at Plato's Academy. After Plato passed away, she continued her learning with his nephew, Speusippus, who took over the Academy.

An Ancient Mystery

An old piece of writing found in Egypt, called a papyrus fragment, talks about a woman who studied with Plato, Speusippus, and later with another philosopher named Menedemus of Eretria. This writing describes her as "lovely and full of unstudied grace" when she was a teenager. Many historians believe this mystery woman was probably Axiothea, or perhaps another female student named Lastheneia of Mantinea.

See also

In Spanish: Axiotea de Fliunte para niños