Plutarch

In 68, he married the daughter of Alexion, Timoxena. The exact number of their sons has not been clearly identified by historians, but it is suggested that they had four sons about who he wrote extensively.

Plutarch also had a daughter, named after her mother Timoxena, but she died at the age of two. Plutarch, in a letter to his wife, mourns the death of his daughter and consoles his wife, giving her hope of a reincarnation.

The life of the venerated biographer came to an end in the year 120. What seems to be most unfortunate of all, is that although Plutarch was a matchless biographer and essayist, there was none to write his biography.

Plutarch was born into an opulent family around the year 46 to 47AD as derived from his writing ‘On the E of Delphi’. He was born in a city of Boeotia named Chaeronea, located in central Greece.

Historians aren’t certain about who his father was, but evidence from his own testimonies suggest that it was Nikarchus. His grandfather was Lamprias, after whom his sibling was named.

In Plutarch’s essays, we find the mention of two siblings, both brothers. One named Timon and the other Lamprias. Historians presume that Plutarch might have been more affectionate towards Timon as he speaks of him fondly in his works.

He received formal education in 66-67, at one of the most reputed institutes of that time, the Academy of Athens, where he studied under the guidance of Ammonius, a Greek philosopher with rich knowledge of both Aristotle and Plato.Plutarch was approximately 20 years old at that time.

Ammonius had aninclination towards metaphysical studies; he often probed religion and its several rites. It is probably under his tutelage that Plutarch was influenced and took to metaphysical studies as well.

Plutarch lived for several years in Athens.He was so revered as an Athenianthat he was sent as an ambassador of his town several times to Alexandria, Egypt and Rome.

He soon took Roman Citizenship and was named after his sponsor, Lucius Mestrius. Travelling mainly between Greece and Rome, he was later appointed as the magistrate of Chaeronea.

Historians reckon that the major reason for him to be rooted to his hometown was that he had a close bonding with his family. Moreover, his family had the required finance that he could use in order to study and travel.

He worshipped Apollo, the ‘Greek God of Music’, at the ‘Temple of Apollo’ in the Delphi Oracle, which was about 20 miles away from Chaeronea, and became one of the two priests there.