Timaeus of Locri

Timaeus of Locri (Ancient Greek: Τίμαιος ὁ Λοκρός; Latin: Timaeus Locrus) was a Greek Pythagorean philosopher living ca. 420-380 B.C.E. 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 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 by:

• Cicero, in his De re publica (I, X, 16), where he is described as an intimate of Plato
• Proclus, in his Commentary on Plato's Timaeus (II, 38, I)
• 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.

References

• Timæus Locrus, Fragmenta et testimonia (Fragments and testimonies), commentary by Matthias Baltes - Über die Natur des Kosmos und der Seele / Timaeus Locrus ; Brill, 1972, xii-252 p. Coll. « Philosophia Antiqua ».
• Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2nd edition 1996: Timaeus
• Timaeus Locrus, Henry Cary, 1854: [1]
• Timaeus Locrus in Greek: [2]
• Cicero's Timaeus in Latin: [3]