Previously unknown lines of a legendary ancient Greek philosopher have been found in Egypt

We're talking about a find that could clarify the history of philosophy.

Details

The papyrus was found in the archives of the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo and turned out to be a fragment of Empedocles' work.

Scientists have identified about 30 previously unknown lines from his philosophical poem On Nature.

Until then, Empedocles' views were known only through quotations from other authors such as Plato, Aristotle and Plutarch.

Now, for the first time, researchers have been able to read his text directly, without intermediaries.

The found lines are devoted to the issues of perception and the structure of the world - in particular, how a person sees and feels the surrounding reality.

The analysis also revealed that Empedocles' ideas may have influenced later philosophers than previously thought.

Why it matters

The discovery provides new insights into the development of ancient Greek philosophy.

The scientists point out:

• it is now possible to study a philosopher's ideas in the original
• which reduces the dependence on later retellings
• new interpretations of his teachings are possible

Such findings are rare and can significantly change the understanding of the history of thought.

Background

Empedocles lived in the 5th century BC and is considered one of the key philosophers of the pre-Socratic period.

His writings have survived only in fragments - in the form of quotations and references in other authors.

Source

The study is based on an analysis of the papyrus of P. Fouad inv. 218, found in Cairo, containing about 30 previously unknown lines of the philosopher Empedocles. The material was published in the scholarly publication L'Empédocle du Caire (2025).