Pythagoras of Samos Pictures - Sculpture of Pythagoras

Pythagoras, the son of Mnesarchus and Pythais, was born on the island of Samos, off the coast of Asia Minor (what is now mostly Turkey), about 569 BC. Pythais was a native of Samos. Mnesarchus was a merchant from Tyre. An apocryphal story says that he brought grain to Samos during a famine and was granted citizenship of Samos out of gratitude. Pythagoras probably had at least two brothers, perhaps three. Little is known about his childhood. He apparently grew up on Samos, but traveled with his father. It has been said he and his father returned to Tyre on at least one occasion and also traveled to Italy.