Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher.
Pythagoras of Samos ( [ pɪˈθægərəs ] [ paɪˈθægərəs ] [ Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος , Pythagóras ho Sámios , Pythagoras the Samos , Samian ] , or simply Πυθαγόρας Πυθαγόρης in Ionian Greek ; ) was an Ionian Greek philosopher , mathematician , and putative founder of the Pythagoreanism movement . It was said that he was the first man to call himself a philosopher , or lover of wisdom , and Pythagorean ideas exercised a marked influence on Plato , and through him , all of Western philosophy . Pythagoras of Samos ( Greek : Πυθαγόρας ο Σάμιος ) lived in the period around the last part of 6th century BC and early 5th century BC , and was an ancient Greek boxer and a winner in boxing at ancient Olympic Games .