🗺️ Itinerary Post-Samos (Before Permanent Return)
Based on the detailed account in Iamblichus's "The Life of Pythagoras," this itinerary reflects Pythagoras's mission to learn from the world's greatest sources of wisdom.
| Sequence | Location / Sage / Priests | Focus of Study or Activities | Significance / Knowledge Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Pherecydes the Syrian, Anaximander, and Thales (Ionian Greek Philosophers) | Association and study with the masters of early Greek natural philosophy and cosmology. | Studied the foundations of **Greek philosophical thought** (the *physis*). Thales advised him to travel to Egypt to learn geometry and astronomy. |
| 4-5 | Sidon, Byblos, and Tyre (Phoenicia) | Initiation into the local **Phoenician and Syrian Mysteries**. Conversed with prophets (descendants of Moschus). | Gained exposure to **Eastern religious practices** and prepared for the deeper knowledge of the Egyptian temples. |
| 6 | Egyptian Priests (Memphis and Priests of Zeus/Amun) | Intense study (22 years) of sacred knowledge, geometry, and astronomy. | Acquired the **Egyptian system of mathematics and geometry**. Learned **mysteries of the Gods**, ritual purity, and discipline, forming the basis for the Pythagorean brotherhood's rules. |
| 7 | Magi / Chaldeans (Babylon) | Studied with the Magi and Chaldeans (12 years) after being taken captive by Cambyses. | Mastered **Babylonian astronomical records**, advanced **arithmetic**, and the **venerable knowledge** of the Magi. |
Pythagoras's time abroad—approximately 34 years in Egypt and Babylon alone—demonstrates his unique blend of knowledge from the Greek, Egyptian, and Babylonian civilizations. He returned to Samos around the age of 56.
🍇 Pythagorean Diet and Philosophic Abstinence
| Practice | Details and Rationale | Source of Belief |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Foundation | Focused on temperance; often consumed **honey** and **bread**. Avoided **wine** and anything causing **flatulence**. | **Universal Wisdom:** Beliefs acquired during travels from the **Magi**, **Egyptian priests**, and **Phoenician prophets**. Core principle is the **kinship of all life**. |
| Vegetarianism | Abstained from **all animal food** and animal sacrifice. | |
| Forbidden Foods | Strictly forbade **beans** due to mysterious physical, psychic, and sacred reasons. | |
| Fasting/Discipline | Practiced prolonged abstinence (fasting) for a pure and vigilant soul. Famously fasted for **three days** on his voyage to Egypt. |