Chaerestrate is known as the mother of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, founder of Epicureanism. She lived in Athens and, according to tradition, accompanied her husband Neocles in ritual purification activities.
Chaerestrate
Chaerestrate
5 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Wife of Neocles, an Athenian citizen, and mother of the philosopher Epicurus (born around 341 BC)
- The family was among the Athenian cleruchs settled on the island of Samos
- Mentioned in the ancient biographical tradition (notably Diogenes Laertius) as part of Epicurus's official lineage
- According to some hostile sources, she is said to have performed purification rites — a detail reported to disparage Epicurus's origins
Works & Achievements
Together with her husband Neocles, Chaerestrate raised the future founder of Epicureanism. This is her main legacy in the history of philosophy.
According to tradition, she performed the family's ritual purifications and initiated those around her into them, reflecting Greek popular religion.
Like every Athenian wife, she managed the household, weaving, and the children's upbringing — the central duties of a Greek woman.
Mother of several sons including Epicurus, Neocles, Chaeredemus, and Aristobulus, she stands at the origin of a family devoted to philosophy.
Anecdotes
Chaïrestrate is best known as the mother of Epicurus, one of the most famous Greek philosophers. Her son, born around 341 BC, would found a school so influential that its name is still used today in the word “epicurean.”
According to a tradition reported by Diogenes Laërtius, Epicurus's opponents mocked him by claiming that as a child he went from house to house with his mother Chaïrestrate to recite purification formulas. These stories came from his enemies, who wanted to ridicule him by associating him with practices of popular magic.
Chaïrestrate's family was Athenian but lived on the island of Samos, where Athens had sent settlers (called “cleruchs”). So it was far from Athens, on an island in the Aegean Sea, that she raised the future philosopher.
It is said that her ritual practices may have given Epicurus a distaste for superstition. Once he became a philosopher, he taught the opposite: that the gods take no interest in human affairs and that one should not fear their anger — an idea that perhaps takes root in his childhood.
Her husband Neocles was a schoolteacher (a “grammatistes”), a modest profession that involved teaching children to read and write. Chaïrestrate's family was therefore neither rich nor noble: they were ordinary Athenian citizens settled in a colony.
Primary Sources
Epicurus was the son of Neocles and Chaerestrate, an Athenian of the deme of Gargettus, of the family of the Philaidae.
His detractors claim that he used to accompany his mother into houses to read out purification formulas there, and that he taught letters alongside his father for a miserable wage.
Key Places
Greek island in the Aegean Sea where Chaerestrate lived within an Athenian colony. It was there that her son Epicurus was born and grew up.
The family's city of origin, attached to the deme of Gargettus. The intellectual center of the Greek world, where Epicurus would later found his school.
A rural district of Attica from which the family originated, according to Diogenes Laërtius. Athenians retained their membership in a deme even while living in a colony.
A Greek city in Asia Minor where Epicurus, son of Chaerestrate, studied under the philosopher Nausiphanes. A stage in the family's intellectual education.
Typical Objects
Short formulas recited or inscribed to drive away evil spirits and purify homes. Tradition links Chairestrate to these practices of household magic.
An incense burner used during purification rites to spread fragrant smoke. Incense accompanied prayers and formulas in Greek household rituals.
A flat, footless bowl used to pour an offering of wine or milk to the gods. The libation marked the beginning of many family rituals.
Tools used to spin wool, the daily occupation of Greek women in the home. Spinning was regarded as the household virtue par excellence.
A linen or wool tunic worn by women, fastened at the shoulders with fibulae. A basic garment of everyday Athenian life.
A large three-handled vase used to draw and carry water from the fountain. Fetching water set the rhythm of the day for women and servants.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Daily Life
Morning
At daybreak, Chairestrate ran the household: she oversaw the provisions, organized the servants' work, and got the children ready. The morning might begin with a short prayer or an offering at the hearth.
Afternoon
The afternoon was devoted to weaving wool, the emblematic task of Greek women, and to overseeing the home. The wives of citizens went out rarely and stayed mostly within the domestic space.
Evening
When evening came, the family gathered for the meal. It was also the time for storytelling and, according to tradition, for ritual formulas meant to protect the house through the night.
Food
The Greek diet rested on the “Mediterranean triad”: barley or wheat bread, olive oil, and wine cut with water. To this were added dried pulses, cheese, olives, and more rarely fish or meat during festivals.
Clothing
Chairestrate wore a chiton, a long linen or wool tunic fastened at the shoulders, covered with a himation (a draped cloak) when going out. Women sometimes veiled their heads in public.
Housing
The Greek house (oikos) was built of mud brick around an inner courtyard. Women often had a space of their own, the gynaeceum, where they wove and managed domestic life.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Éducation d'Épicure
vers 341-330 av. J.-C.
Transmission des rites domestiques
IVe siècle av. J.-C.
Tenue du foyer (oikos)
IVe siècle av. J.-C.
Lignée familiale des Néoclides
IVe-IIIe siècle av. J.-C.
