Cleombrotus of Ambracia
Committed suicide after reading Plato, and/or an absent figure in the Phaedo
About Cleombrotus of Ambracia
Lived 500 BC – 400 BC. Cleombrotus of Ambracia was a philosopher.
Cleombrotus (later referred to as Cleombrotus of Ambracia; ) is a young man mentioned in Plato's Phaedo as one of two young men notably absent when Socrates drank the hemlock. This is his only mention in Plato, but a later tradition added that he was from Ambracia; Callimachus explains that Cleombrotus committed suicide in a way that caused a debate still held in the time of Michel de Montaigne—whether his suicide, leaping into the ocean to enter the life of the spirits after reading the Phaedo, was foolish or not.
As translated by Henry William Tytler, Callimachus's epigram reads:
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
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Important facts
People in Cleombrotus of Ambracia's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Cleombrotus of Ambracia's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Cleombrotus of Ambracia?
committed suicide after reading Plato, and/or an absent figure in the Phaedo
When was Cleombrotus of Ambracia born?
Cleombrotus of Ambracia was born in 500 BC.
When did Cleombrotus of Ambracia die?
Cleombrotus of Ambracia died in 400 BC.
What was Cleombrotus of Ambracia's occupation?
Cleombrotus of Ambracia was a philosopher.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Cleombrotus of Ambracia
· DBpedia: Cleombrotus of Ambracia
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cleombrotus of Ambracia. https://biography.guide/cleombrotus-of-ambracia/
MLA: "Cleombrotus of Ambracia." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cleombrotus-of-ambracia/.
Chicago: "Cleombrotus of Ambracia." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cleombrotus-of-ambracia/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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