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The Milesians of Hellenic (Greek) civilization were the inhabitants of Miletus, a city in the Anatolia province of modern-day Turkey, near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and at the mouth of the Meander River. Settlers from Crete moved to Miletus sometime in 16th century BC. By the 6th century BC, Miletus had become a maritime empire, and the Milesians spread out across Turkey and even as far as the Crimea, founding new colonies.

Famous Milesians:

• Miletus (mythological founder)
• Thales - "first" Greek natural philosopher; "the father of science".
• Anaximander - philosopher; pupil of Thales
• Anaximenes - philosopher; friend or pupil of Anaximander
• Eubulides - philosopher; formulated the "liar paradox"
• Hecataeus of Miletus - historian
• Hesychius Illustrius - chronicler and biographer
• Aristides - writer
• Isidorus - architect
• Timotheus - poet
• Cadmus - historian, perhaps mythical

Milesian tyrants under Persia:

• Histiaeus
• Aristagoras