PHILOSOPHER
Democritus
460 BC - 360 BC

Democritus
Democritus (, dim-OCK-rit-əs; Greek: Δημόκριτος, Dēmókritos, meaning "chosen of the people"; c. 460 – c. 370 BC) was an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Abdera, primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe. Democritus wrote extensively on a wide variety of topics. None of Democritus' original work has survived, except through second-hand references. Many of these references come from Aristotle, who viewed him as an important rival in the field of natural philosophy. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Democritus is the 26th most popular philosopher (down from 22nd in 2019), the 10th most popular biography from Greece (up from 11th in 2019) and the 5th most popular Greek Philosopher.
Democritus is most famous for his atomic theory.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Democritus by language
Among PHILOSOPHERS
Among philosophers, Democritus ranks 26 out of 1,267. Before him are Diogenes, Erasmus, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, John Locke, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Montesquieu. After him are Seneca the Younger, Epicurus, Averroes, Al-Ghazali, Thomas Hobbes, and Friedrich Engels.
Most Popular Philosophers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsDiogenes
404 BC - 322 BC
HPI: 88.38
Rank: 20
Erasmus
1466 - 1536
HPI: 88.33
Rank: 21
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
1770 - 1831
HPI: 88.27
Rank: 22
John Locke
1632 - 1704
HPI: 87.94
Rank: 23
Arthur Schopenhauer
1788 - 1860
HPI: 87.55
Rank: 24
Montesquieu
1689 - 1755
HPI: 87.46
Rank: 25
Democritus
460 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 86.85
Rank: 26
Seneca the Younger
4 BC - 65
HPI: 86.81
Rank: 27
Epicurus
341 BC - 269 BC
HPI: 86.65
Rank: 28
Averroes
1126 - 1198
HPI: 86.05
Rank: 29
Al-Ghazali
1058 - 1111
HPI: 85.99
Rank: 30
Thomas Hobbes
1588 - 1679
HPI: 85.75
Rank: 31
Friedrich Engels
1820 - 1895
HPI: 85.72
Rank: 32
Contemporaries
Among people born in 460 BC, Democritus ranks 2. Before him is Hippocrates. After him are Thucydides, Diogenes of Apollonia, Critias, Prodicus, and Verginia. Among people deceased in 360 BC, Democritus ranks 1. After him are Agesilaus II, Atropates, Agnodice, Artabazos II, Lais of Corinth, Dinocrates, Aeschines of Sphettus, Campaspe, Polykleitos the Younger, Silanion, and Palaephatus.
Others Born in 460 BC
Go to all RankingsHippocrates
PHYSICIAN
460 BC - 370 BC
HPI: 90.19
Rank: 1
Democritus
PHILOSOPHER
460 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 86.85
Rank: 2
Thucydides
HISTORIAN
460 BC - 397 BC
HPI: 83.71
Rank: 3
Diogenes of Apollonia
PHILOSOPHER
460 BC - 500 BC
HPI: 74.11
Rank: 4
Critias
POLITICIAN
460 BC - 403 BC
HPI: 73.26
Rank: 5
Prodicus
PHILOSOPHER
460 BC - 380 BC
HPI: 72.63
Rank: 6
Verginia
POLITICIAN
460 BC - 449 BC
HPI: 65.69
Rank: 7
Others Deceased in 360 BC
Go to all RankingsDemocritus
PHILOSOPHER
460 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 86.85
Rank: 1
Agesilaus II
POLITICIAN
444 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 72.50
Rank: 2
Atropates
POLITICIAN
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 69.37
Rank: 3
Agnodice
PHYSICIAN
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 68.41
Rank: 4
Artabazos II
MILITARY PERSONNEL
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 66.08
Rank: 5
Lais of Corinth
POLITICIAN
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 65.75
Rank: 6
Dinocrates
ARCHITECT
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 64.98
Rank: 7
Aeschines of Sphettus
PHILOSOPHER
430 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 64.46
Rank: 8
Campaspe
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 63.75
Rank: 9
Polykleitos the Younger
SCULPTOR
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 62.33
Rank: 10
Silanion
SCULPTOR
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 61.79
Rank: 11
Palaephatus
WRITER
400 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 61.46
Rank: 12
In Greece
Among people born in Greece, Democritus ranks 10 out of 1,024. Before him are Homer (-800), Socrates (-470), Pythagoras (-570), Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881), Hippocrates (-460), and Sophocles (-497). After him are Epicurus (-341), Solon (-638), Pericles (-494), Aristophanes (-448), El Greco (1541), and Euripides (-480).
Others born in Greece
Go to all RankingsHomer
WRITER
800 BC - 750 BC
HPI: 95.41
Rank: 4
Socrates
PHILOSOPHER
470 BC - 399 BC
HPI: 94.90
Rank: 5
Pythagoras
PHILOSOPHER
570 BC - 495 BC
HPI: 93.36
Rank: 6
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
POLITICIAN
1881 - 1938
HPI: 91.26
Rank: 7
Hippocrates
PHYSICIAN
460 BC - 370 BC
HPI: 90.19
Rank: 8
Sophocles
WRITER
497 BC - 406 BC
HPI: 89.32
Rank: 9
Democritus
PHILOSOPHER
460 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 86.85
Rank: 10
Epicurus
PHILOSOPHER
341 BC - 269 BC
HPI: 86.65
Rank: 11
Solon
POLITICIAN
638 BC - 558 BC
HPI: 86.59
Rank: 12
Pericles
POLITICIAN
494 BC - 429 BC
HPI: 86.36
Rank: 13
Aristophanes
WRITER
448 BC - 386 BC
HPI: 84.47
Rank: 14
El Greco
PAINTER
1541 - 1614
HPI: 84.26
Rank: 15
Euripides
WRITER
480 BC - 406 BC
HPI: 84.12
Rank: 16
Among PHILOSOPHERS In Greece
Among philosophers born in Greece, Democritus ranks 5. Before him are Aristotle (-384), Plato (-427), Socrates (-470), and Pythagoras (-570). After him are Epicurus (-341), Plutarch (46), Protagoras (-486), Gorgias (-483), Theophrastus (-371), Apollodorus of Athens (-180), and Antisthenes (-445).
Aristotle
384 BC - 321 BC
HPI: 96.25
Rank: 1
Plato
427 BC - 347 BC
HPI: 95.94
Rank: 2
Socrates
470 BC - 399 BC
HPI: 94.90
Rank: 3
Pythagoras
570 BC - 495 BC
HPI: 93.36
Rank: 4
Democritus
460 BC - 360 BC
HPI: 86.85
Rank: 5
Epicurus
341 BC - 269 BC
HPI: 86.65
Rank: 6
Plutarch
46 - 127
HPI: 83.51
Rank: 7
Protagoras
486 BC - 420 BC
HPI: 83.37
Rank: 8
Gorgias
483 BC - 375 BC
HPI: 80.90
Rank: 9
Theophrastus
371 BC - 287 BC
HPI: 80.19
Rank: 10
Apollodorus of Athens
180 BC - 110 BC
HPI: 78.45
Rank: 11
Antisthenes
445 BC - 365 BC
HPI: 78.34
Rank: 12