Aristotle’s End: 10 Essential Facts about the Death of a Great Thinker

Aristotle’s End: 10 Essential Facts about the Death of a Great Thinker

Aristotle is thought to have accidentally poisoned himself with aconite, but the truth of his passing maybe even less shocking: Aristotle had long had digestive issues and may have passed away at a perfectly reasonable age due to nonspecific stomach issues.  He didn’t challenge the government since he had learned from Plato and Socrates‘ mistakes. He acted so well to the point of being naive and established himself as a role model for philosophers.

As we all know Aristotle was a man that had the traits that many of us struggle to have, he was admired for his factual reasoning, philosophical thinking as well as scientific research. His contributions are still present in many fields today, including mathematics, metaphysics, physics, biology, botany, politics, and many others. But like all the other great philosophers he died.

Here are essential facts about his death.

1. He passed away in 322 BCE

Sergey Sosnovskiy, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher from the first century, he was not just any philosopher because we’re still talking about him thousands of years later. He has always been praised for his intellect and curious mind and for good reason he became history’s most important thinker which is why when he passed away in 322 BCE it left a lasting impression until now. 

2. He spent his final years in Euboea

Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Aristotle lived on the Greek island of Euboea for the last few years of his life before passing away. Aristotle sought refuge in Chalcis, which provided him with a peaceful haven away from any political unrest and conflicts.

Aristotle maintained his academic efforts in Euboea, where he also taught a group of loyal students and followers about the wisdom of the ancients. Aristotle was capable of making an important contribution to philosophy and knowledge before he passed away by using Euboea as a tranquil setting for reflection and contemplation in the latter stages of his life.

3. A philosophical school was started after his death

The Peripatetic School was created to honour Aristotle, the name came from how he used to pace around while he taught. The school was created with the intention of preserving and advancing Aristotle’s ideas and promoting his philosophical debates. The school had well-known teachers like Theophrastus who taught students and academicians who wanted to study and interpret Aristotle’s writings.

4. The Library of Alexandria has a lot of his work

O. Von Corven, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Library of Alexandria, a famous centre of study in ancient times, received a lot of Aristotle’s writings after his death. The library actively worked to preserve and spread Aristotle’s works because it respected his intellectual achievements and is known for its collection of scrolls and papers. A lot of Aristotle’s writings were saved by the Library of Alexandria, which was important in safeguarding his ideas for future generations.

5. His death deeply affected Alexander the Great 

Alexander the Great was actually Aristotle’s student and he was quite fond of him as a teacher and as a man who shaped his worldview and leadership style, he was heavily affected by his death. Aristotle’s passing meant that Alexander would have to figure out a lot by himself and it was a lonely time for him. 

6. His death marked the end of all the controversial topics he was involved in

As expected Aristotle ruffled a few feathers because he was a prolific thinker and a philosopher that dug into topics that made people uncomfortable. He often debated about slavery, women’s rights and other topics that our current generation is still struggling to tackle and understand.

Of course, after his passing, he no longer contributed to these divisive debates but the fact that he openly talked about controversial topics meant that his ideologies sparked ideas that were never there before.

7. How he died is a topic of debate

We all know that at the time medicine had not advanced so historians and academicians can only speculate and debate. There’s actually no real evidence that shows Aristotle’s reason for death even with all the hypothetical reasons that have come up over the years.

The only other theory that has come up is that he took poison and wanted to end his life. Most historians have concluded that he died of stomach issues but there are still a number of people who believe otherwise. 

8. His dying wish was to be buried next to his wife

Lucas Cranach the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Aristotle apparently wanted to be buried next to his wife Pythias before he passed away. Unfortunately, his wish was not granted and instead, he was buried in a graveyard close to Chalcis where he died.

It is unbelievable that such a great figure who contributed so much wisdom and knowledge to society was unable to get his simple request which was pretty honourable and should have been honoured, he should have probably pulled a Shakespeare and warned the people that they would be cursed if they refused to follow his wishes. 

9. He died in the city of Chalcis

Aristotle passed away in the city of Chalcis, where he had moved back in his final years. Aristotle fled Athens and found safety in his birthplace of Chalcis, where he lived and taught until his demise.

He passed away in this well-known and cherished city, leaving behind a profound intellectual legacy that would influence philosophy, science, and ethics for many years to come. 

10. Aristotle’s body may have been moved a couple of times

Aristotle’s body may have been moved around a bit after his passing, according to certain accounts. When he first died, he was interred close to Chalcis. Although it’s possible that his remains were afterwards moved to Athens and then to Stagira, where he was born. Others go so far as to say that his remains were eventually moved to Constantinople.