Famous Greek Men

Every time we think of Greece and Greek men, the first thing that pops in our heads is ethereal bunch of good-looking gods and heroes with burly bodies and supernatural powers, angering the deities and slaying the demons even as they billed and cooed with the demure and dainty dames of their times. (Think Zeus, Apollo, Achilles, Heracles, Poseidon, and Jason!) While Greece has given the world a handsome lot of brave and fine looking mythological champions to die for, it has also fashioned a horde of philosophers, poets, playwrights, historians, scientists, actors and leaders whom the world looks up in awe and admiration. From Socrates, Plato and Aristotle to Sophocles, Aesop and Archimedes and from Alexander the Great, Pythagoras and Homer to Billy Zane, Tommy Lee and John Cassavetes, the list stands infinite when you try to gauge the number of legends to have ever walked on the mystical land of Greece. Join us as we delve into the biography and dwell upon the trivia, timeline and interesting facts on some exceptionally famous Greek men that the country has ever reproduced.

Vote for Your Favourite Greek Men

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 

Tom Hanks

(One of the Most Popular Film Stars Worldwide, Known for Both His Comedic and Dramatic Roles)

Birthdate: July 9, 1956

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Concord, California, United States

One of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, Tom Hanks is known for both his comedic and dramatic roles. Making his breakthrough with leading roles in the 1980s, he went on to further cement his place in Hollywood in the 1990s by taking up poignant and sensitive roles. He is also a director, producer, and screenwriter. 

Birthdate: December 6, 1994

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a professional basketball player and plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association. He’s called ‘Greek Freak’ as he hails from Greece and also due to his size, speed and ball-handling skills. He was named NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice and NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. He represents Greece at the international level.

 3 

Aristotle

(One of the Greatest Philosophers and the First Genuine Scientist in History)

Birthdate: 0384 AD

Birthplace: Stagira, Greece

Died: 0322 AD

Famous Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, made significant contributions to various fields of science and arts of his era–logic, biology, politics, economics, ethics and aesthetics. Along with Socrates and Plato, he laid much of the foundation of Western philosophy. Student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great, he founded Lyceum, the school of philosophy, and the Aristotelian tradition.

Recommended Lists:

 4 

Plato

(Greek Philosopher and Founder of Platonist School)

Birthdate: May 21, 0428

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Classical Athens, Greece

Died: 0348 AD

Plato was one of the most important Ancient Greek philosophers, who contributed greatly to the fields of mathematics, metaphysics, politics, art, and poetry. Along with his famous student Aristotle and equally famous teacher Socrates, Plato is considered one of the founders of spirituality and Western religion. Platonism remains one of his important contributions.

Recommended Lists:

 5 

Socrates

(Greek Philosopher Who is Credited as the Founder of Western Philosophy)

Birthdate: 0470 AD

Birthplace: Alopece, Greek

Died: 0399 AD

A famous Greek philosopher, Socrates is credited with founding Western philosophy along with other popular philosophers of his time. An enigmatic figure, most of his work is documented by his famous student Plato. Socrates is widely regarded as one of the most influential philosophers of all timeas he had a strong influence on the philosophers of the modern era.

 6 

Pythagoras

(Greek Philosopher, Mathematician and Founder of Pythagoreanism)

Birthdate: 0570 BC

Birthplace: Samos, Greece

Died: 0495 BC

Pythagoras was an Ionian Greek philosopher. He is credited with many scientific and mathematical discoveries, including the Sphericity of the Earth, the Theory of Proportions, the five regular solids, Pythagorean tuning, and the Pythagorean Theorem. Pythagoras influenced other philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. His philosophy also had a major impact on personalities like Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, and Nicolaus Copernicus.

Recommended Lists:

 7 

Spartacus

(Thracian Gladiator and One of the Escaped Slave Leaders in the Third Servile War)

Birthdate: 0103 BC

Birthplace: Thrace

Died: 0071 BC

Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led the slave revolt called the Third Servile War, against the Roman Republic. However, historical accounts differ in their portrayal of Spartacus. He has inspired scores of books, films, and series, one of them being a Stanley Kubrick movie based on Howard Fast's novel.

 8 

Homer

(Ancient Greek Author Who is Considered One of the Greatest and Most Influential Authors of All Time)

Birthdate: 0928 AD

Birthplace: Ionia, Greece

Homer, a legendary poet from the 8th century B.C., authored the Greek epics the Iliad and the Odyssey. However, the Homeric Question raises doubts regarding the existence of the poet. Some assume the epics were written by a single blind bard, while others believe they were created by multiple authors.

Recommended Lists:

Birthdate: March 15, 0270

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Patara, Turkey

Died: December 6, 0343

Fourth-century Greek Christian bishop Saint Nicholas gave rise to the legend of "Santa Claus," associated with the tradition of gifting during Christmas. One legend states that he saved three girls from prostitution and dropped sacks of gold coins through their window to help their father pay for their dowry.

 10 

Euclid

(Greek Mathematician Who is Considered the 'Father of Geometry')

Birthdate: 0330 AD

Birthplace: Greece

Greek mathematician Euclid, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, is remembered as the father of geometry. One of his most significant works was his book on mathematics, Elements. He had worked extensively on conic sections, spherical geometry, and number theory.

Recommended Lists:

Birthdate: 0540 BC

Birthplace: Sparta, Greece

Died: August 11, 0480

Leonidas I was the king of the Greek city-state of Sparta from 489–480 BCE. He was the son of King Anaxandridas II. He is remembered for his participation in the Second Persian War, especially for his leadership at the Battle of Thermopylae. He died at the battle, gaining legendary status as the leader of the 300 Spartans.

Birthdate: 0483 BC

Birthplace: Halicarnassus

Died: 0425 BC

Herodotus was a Greek historian credited with writing a book titled The Histories, a detailed record on the genesis of the Greco-Persian Wars. Dubbed the Father of History, Herodotus is widely believed to have been the first person to write about historical events based on information gathered about the events through a method of systematic investigation.

Recommended Lists:

Birthdate: 0460 BC

Birthplace: Kos, Greece

Died: 0370 BC

Hippocrates, or Hippocrates II, also known as the "Father of Medicine,” founded the Hippocratic School of Medicine, which heralded the professional practice of medicine. He also laid down the Hippocratic Oath, an oath still taken by doctors all over the world. His teachings were primarily collated in the Hippocratic Corpus.

Birthdate: 0412 BC

Birthplace: Sinop, Turkey

Died: 0323 BC

Diogenes Of Sinope was a pioneer of Cynic philosophy. It is believed he had expressed his wish to be thrown out of the city after his death, so that animals could eat his corpse. He believed humans needed to learn how to live without fuss and with honesty like dogs.

Recommended Lists:

 15 

Aeschylus

(Ancient Greek Tragedian Who Known as the Father of Tragedy)

Birthdate: 0525 AD

Birthplace: Eleusis, Greece

Died: 0456 AD

Aeschylus is credited with pioneering the trend of using multiple characters in theater, allowing them to interact among themselves, instead of the chorus. He is best remembered for his tragedies, most notably The Persians, the trilogy The Oresteia, and Prometheus Bound. His works were awarded at the City Dionysia.

 16 

Saint George

(One of the Most Venerated Saints and Megalomartyrs in Christianity)

Birthplace: Cappadocia, Turkey

Died: April 23, 0303

Saint George was a Christian soldier in the Roman army who is accepted as a saint in Christianity. He was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith and was executed by decapitation, according to Greek tradition.  Saint George's Day is celebrated in his memory on 23 April. He is one of the most venerated saints in Christianity.

Recommended Lists:

 17 

Eratosthenes

(First Person to Calculate the Circumference of the Earth and Earth's Axial Tilt)

Birthdate: 0276 BC

Birthplace: Cyrene, Libya, Shahat, Libya

Died: 0194 BC

Greek polymath Eratosthenes of Cyrene was a mathematician, poet, geographer, music theorist, and astronomer. He also served as the Library of Alexandria’s chief librarian. He was also the first to calculate the Earth’s circumference and the tilt of the Earth's axis. Nicknamed Pentathlos, he also invented many scientific terms.

Birthdate: 0535 BC

Birthplace: Ephesus, Turkey

Died: 0475 BC

Greek philosopher Heraclitus belonged to the city of Ephesus, then part of the Persian Empire. He earned the nickname The Obscure for his use of paradoxical wordplay. His only available work, On Nature, survives in fragments. Also known as the Weeping Philosopher, he influenced later philosophers such as Plato.

Recommended Lists:

Birthdate: February 2, 1882

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Died: December 3, 1944

Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, the son of King George I of Greece, served as a major general in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919–1922. The Turkish forces recaptured Smyrna and Andrew was blamed for the loss of Greek territory. As a result, he was exiled from Greece and he lived in France where he died.

Birthdate: August 12, 1998

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek to win any ATP World Tour title, with his 2018 Stockholm Open win. He is the youngest player to be featured on ATP’s top 10 list and has recorded a career-high global ranking of No. 5, thus becoming the highest-ranked Greek tennis player ever.

Recommended Lists:

Birthdate: January 20, 1906

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Karataş, İzmir, Turkey

Died: March 15, 1975

A Greek shipping magnate who was one of the world's richest men at one point, Aristotle Onassis held the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet at the peak of his career. He was involved in the privatization of the Greek national airlines as well. He had liaisons with many famous and beautiful women and was married to Jacqueline Kennedy.

 22 

Epicurus

(Ancient Greek Philosopher Who Founded 'Epicureanism;, a Highly Influential School of Philosophy)

Birthdate: 0341

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Samos, Greece

Died: 0270 BC

Greek philosopher Epicurus is remembered for establishing a school of philosophy known as Epicureanism. He believed that people could achieve ataraxia and aponia, freedom from fear and pain, unless they indulged in amoral behavior. He established a school named The Garden in Athens, where students could discuss philosophical ideas.

 23 

Plutarch

(Greek Middle Platonist Philosopher, Historian, Biographer and Priest)

Birthdate: 0046 AD

Birthplace: Chaeronea, Greece

Died: 0119 AD

Plutarch was a Greek philosopher, essayist, biographer, and historian. He also served as the priest at the Temple of Apollo. He is best remembered for his work Parallel Lives, a series of 48 biographies of noteworthy men. His writings had a huge influence on French and English literature. Writers like Shakespeare were influenced by his works.

Birthdate: July 18, 1992

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Greek basketball player Thanasis Antetokounmpo, older brother of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, plays for the NBA team Milwaukee Bucks. Known as “The Greek Streak” and “The Elevator,” he was chosen to play for the Nigerian team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but he chose to play for Greece instead.

Birthdate: 0497 BC

Birthplace: Colonus, Athens, Greece

Died: 0406 BC

Sophocles was an ancient Greek writer. He is one among three tragedians from his era whose plays have survived. Sophocles was the most decorated and celebrated playwright for almost five decades, during which he won 24 out of 30 dramatic competitions, which took place in the city-state of Athens during the religious festivals of the Dionysia and the Lenaea.

 26 

Kostas Antetokounmpo

(Basketball player)

Birthdate: November 20, 1997

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Kostas Antetokounmpo is a Greek basketball player who has played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for teams like Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. Apart from the NBA, Antetokounmpo has also particiapted in major European club competitions like Euroleague. Kostas Antetokounmpo was a star during his senior year in high school, leading his team to a state championship.

Birthdate: December 24, 1845

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark

Died: March 18, 1913

George I of Greece reigned as the king of Greece from 1863 until his murder in 1913. During his reign of nearly 50 years, which is the longest in the history of modern Greece, George helped expand Greece's territory significantly. During his reign, Greece also became increasingly prosperous and attained a popular place on the European stage.

 28 

El Greco

(Greek Painter, Sculptor and Architect of the Spanish Renaissance)

Birthdate: October 1, 1541

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Heraklion, Greece

Died: April 7, 1614

Artist Doménikos Theotokópoulos never let anyone forget his Greek heritage and almost always signed his art in Greek letters. Popularly known as El Greco, he was a significant figure of the Spanish Renaissance. His best-known works remain The Burial of the Count of Orgaz and The Assumption of the Virgin.

 29 

Yanni

(One of the Best-Selling Musical Artists and Leading Figure of 20th-Century New Age Music)

Birthdate: November 14, 1954

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Kalamata, Greece

Yanni is a Greek keyboardist, pianist, composer, and music producer. He achieved international recognition by organizing and producing concerts at historic monuments, such as Taj Mahal, Burj Khalifa, and the Great Sphinx of Giza. Adhering to his one world, one people philosophy, Yanni works with musicians of various nationalities to create music that incorporates an eclectic fusion of ethnic sounds.

Birthdate: 0624 BC

Birthplace: Miletus Ancient Theater, Turkey

Died: 0546 BC

One of the Seven Wise Men of Greece, Thales was a 6th-century mathematician who believed that the Earth was a flat disk floating on a huge ocean. Legend has it that he had predicted a solar eclipse that stopped a major battle and had also laid down several geometrical theorems.

Birthdate: 0460 AD

Birthplace: Halimus

Died: 0400 AD

Athenian historian and general Thucydides is remembered for his History of the Peloponnesian War. He was believed to be unbiased in reporting the events of his time and is considered a pioneer of political realism. Some of his other works are the Melian dialogue and Pericles' Funeral Oration.

Birthdate: 0130 AD

Birthplace: Pergamon, Turkey

Died: 0200 AD

Galen was a Greek physician, philosopher, and surgeon in the Roman Empire. Regarded as one of the most proficient medical researchers in ancient history, Galen influenced the growth of several scientific disciplines, such as neurology, pharmacology, pathology, physiology, and anatomy. Thanks to the translation of his works into Arabic, Galen's approach to medicine remains influential in the Islamic world.

 33 

Hephaestus

(Son of Zeus)

Birthplace: Greece

 34 

Pericles

(First Citizen of Democratic Athens)

Birthdate: 0494 BC

Birthplace: Athens

Died: 0429 BC

Pericles was an influential and prominent Greek statesman and orator. He also served as the general of Athens during fifth-century Athens, which came to be known as the Golden Age of Athens. Thanks to his efforts, Athens became known as the cultural and educational center of the ancient Greek world. Pericles is also credited with beautifying and protecting the city.

 35 

Vangelis

(Greek Keyboardist, Composer and Producer)

Birthdate: March 29, 1943

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Agria, Greece

Greek composer Vangelis is one of the finest and most versatile figures in electronic music. He soared to international fame with his Academy Award-winning soundtrack of the film Chariots of Fire. Starting to learn the piano at age 3, he later experimented with jazz and rock-n-roll.

 36 

Euripides

(One of the Most Famous Greek Tragedians)

Birthdate: 0480 AD

Birthplace: Salamis, Greece

Died: 0406 AD

One of the three ancient Greek tragedians, together with Sophocles and Aeschylus, Euripides wrote around 92 plays, out of which 18 or 19 have survived intact. He is known for theatrical innovations that influenced modern drama as well. This particularly includes his representation of mythical heroes as common people in exceptional circumstances. His notable works include Hippolytus, Alcestis and Medea.

 37 

Constantine II of Greece

(Last King of Greece, from 6 March 1964 Until the Abolition of Greek Monarchy on 1 June 1973)

Birthdate: June 2, 1940

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Psychiko, Greece

Constantine II of Greece reigned as the King of the Hellenes from 1964 until 1973 when the Greek monarchy was abolished. His reign culminated in the Greek junta and the former King of Greece was forced into exile when the countercoup against the junta failed. Constantine is also a former sailor who won an Olympic gold in the 1960 Olympics.

 38 

Xenophon

(Greek Historian and Philosopher)

Birthdate: 0430 BC

Birthplace: Athens

Died: 0354 BC

Remembered as both an Athenian military leader and an author, Xenophon, a friend of Socrates, remains a major link between historians and the Greek philosopher, with his works such as Symposium and Memorabilia. He also led the Ten Thousand, in a Persian expedition under Cyrus the Younger.

Birthdate: 0382 BC

Birthplace: Pella, Greece

Died: 0336 BC

Philip II of Macedon reigned as the king of Macedon from 359 BC to 336 BC. He is credited with reforming the Ancient Macedonian army, which helped secure several victories on the battlefield. Under his reign, the kingdom of Macedonia conquered and dominated Ancient Greece. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander the Great.

 40 

Democritus

(Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic Philosopher)

Birthdate: 0460 AD

Birthplace: Abdera, Greece

Died: 0370 AD

Democritus was an Ancient Greek philosopher whose philosophies predated Socratic philosophies. He is credited with formulating one of the earliest atomic theories of the universe. Best known for his work on subjects like biology, anthropology, and cosmology, Democritus is considered by many to be the father of modern science. He was also a pioneer of geometry.

 41 

Aesop

(Greek Fabulist and Storyteller)

Birthdate: 0620 AD

Birthplace: Delphi, Greece

Died: 0564 AD

There is not a single child in the world who has not heard of Aesop’s Fables, but the legendary Greek fabulist Aesop, known for using animal characters to impart moral lessons, is believed to have never existed, by some historians. Aesop was perhaps a name concocted to unite references for age-old fables.

 42 

Yorgos Lanthimos

(Greek Filmmaker and Screenwriter)

Birthdate: September 23, 1973

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Greek filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter Yorgos Lanthimos initially studied business and was also part of the Greek national basketball team before stepping into films. A prominent figure of the Greek Weird Wave movement, he is known for his Academy Award-nominated screenwriting in The Lobster and direction in The Favourite.

 43 

Aristophanes

( Comic Playwright of Ancient Athens and a Poet of Old Attic Comedy.)

Birthdate: 0446 AD

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Died: 0386 AD

Known widely as the Father of Comedy, Greek playwright Aristophanes had contributed to the Old Comedy genre. His works, peppered with satire, mirror the ancient Athenian life. He won the City Dionysia drama contest with his play The Babylonians. He was also in trouble for caricaturing Cleon in his plays.

Birthdate: August 2, 1868

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Athens, Greece

Died: January 11, 1923

Constantine I reigned as the king of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and again from 1920 to 1922. He led the Greek army during the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913. The National Schism was a result of his disagreement with Eleftherios Venizelos on whether Greece should join World War I.

 45 

Luke the Evangelist

(Greek Evangelist)

Birthdate: 0016 AD

Birthplace: Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

Died: 0084 AD

Widely considered as the author of the two books of the New Testament, Saint Luke the Evangelist contributed far more to the New Testament than any other author and had a huge impact in the development of Christianity. He was also the companion of St. Paul the Apostle, a physician as well as the patron saint of artists and physicians.

Birthdate: 0524 BC

Birthplace: Frearrioi (modern Feriza close to Anavyssos)

Died: 0459 BC

The 5th-century BC warrior politician Themistocles has gone down in history as one of the first to consolidate the Athenian navy. He is remembered for his victories in wars such as the Battle of Salamis. His exploits have been immortalized in movies such as 300: Rise of an Empire.

Birthdate: 0050 AD

Birthplace: Hierapolis Ancient City, Turkey

Died: 0135 AD

Epictetus was a Greek philosopher who viewed philosophy as a way of life rather than a theoretical discipline. He taught philosophy vehemently and founded a school of philosophy in Nicopolis. Arrian, his most famous pupil, is credited with publishing Discourses, a series of informal lectures given by Epictetus. Today, the philosophy of Epictetus is being applied in various fields.

Birthdate: March 4, 1769

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Kavala, Greece

Died: August 2, 1849

Muhammad Ali of Egypt was the de facto ruler of Egypt from 1805 to 1848. He was also the Albanian Ottoman governor and is considered the founder of modern Egypt. He implemented drastic reforms in the military, economic and cultural spheres in Egypt. He established the Muhammad Ali dynasty that ruled Egypt until the revolution of 1952.

 49 

Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece

(Prince)

Birthdate: May 20, 1967

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Tatoi Royal Palace, Greece

Birthdate: 0319 AD

Birthplace: Epirus

Died: 0272 AD

Greek king Pyrrhus, son of prince Aeacides, belonged to the Hellenistic period and ruled Epirus. His destructive losses in the wars that he fought gave rise to the term “Pyrrhic victory.” He fought against Rome in the Pyrrhic War and later died while fighting a street war in Argos.