1001Philosophers

Lastheneia of Mantinea c. 380 BC – c. 320 BC

Lastheneia of Mantinea (c. 380 BC – c. 320 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Platonism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.

Lastheneia of Mantinea was a Greek Platonist philosopher of the fourth century BC, one of the very few women known to have studied at Plato's Academy in Athens. According to Diogenes Laertius, she dressed in men's clothing in order to attend the lectures, where she became a pupil first of Plato and then of his nephew and successor Speusippus. She is mentioned together with Axiothea of Phlius, another woman of the Academy, in a number of ancient sources, but no writing of hers has survived; she stands as one of the earliest documented female philosophers of the Western tradition.

Key facts

Nationality
Greek
Era
Ancient
Movements
Platonism, Ancient Greek Philosophy

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea:

    “I came to the Academy in such garments as would let me listen; the philosophers cared more for what I said than for what I wore.”

  • Attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea:

    “What is taught at the Academy is not the property of one sex.”

  • Attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea:

    “Speusippus held that knowledge is composed of likenesses and unlikenesses; I have lived this lesson within and without.”

  • Attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea:

    “The first woman to study philosophy is not the last; she is the first of a long line.”

  • Attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea:

    “There is no garment of body that the soul of philosophy cannot reshape from within.”

Frequently asked about Lastheneia of Mantinea

When did Lastheneia of Mantinea live?
Lastheneia of Mantinea was born in c. 380 BC and died in c. 320 BC.
Where was Lastheneia of Mantinea from?
Lastheneia of Mantinea was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
What philosophical movements is Lastheneia of Mantinea associated with?
Lastheneia of Mantinea was associated with Platonism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
What was Lastheneia of Mantinea known for?
Lastheneia of Mantinea was a Greek Platonist philosopher of the fourth century BC, one of the very few women known to have studied at Plato's Academy in Athens.
How many quotes are attributed to Lastheneia of Mantinea?
There are 5 attributed quotations from Lastheneia of Mantinea in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.