Thales of Miletus, (born c. 624–620 bce—died c. 548–545 bce), philosopher renowned as one of the legendary Seven Wise Men, or Sophoi, of antiquity.

Did Thales ever get married?

Accounts from ancient historians disagree about whether Thales ever married. Some say he married and had a son. Others say that he did not marry, but treated one of his nephews as if he were his son. Thales died aged about 78 in about the year 546 BC.

Why did Thales go to Egypt?

Thales advised Anaximander’s student, Pythagoras, to visit Egypt in order to continue his studies in mathematics and philosophy. While Thales was in Egypt, he was supposedly able to determine the height of a pyramid by measuring the length of its shadow when the length of his own shadow was equal to his height.