Crates of Thebes was a Greek philosopher of the late 4th century BCE. He was a principal member of the Cynic school and a direct pupil of its most famous figure, Diogenes of Sinope. Born into a wealthy family in Thebes, Crates famously gave up his fortune to live a life of deliberate poverty and simplicity, embodying core Cynic ideals.

His historical importance is twofold. First, he served as a crucial link between Cynicism and Stoicism by being the teacher of Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school. According to modern scholars, this connection allowed core Cynic concepts to influence early Stoic ethics. Second, his life became a model for Cynic practice. He was known in Athens for his cheerful, benevolent character and for his philosophical marriage to Hipparchia of Maroneia. Their partnership was presented in ancient sources as a shared, ascetic life dedicated to philosophy.

Crates’s own writings do not survive intact, but fragments remain. He is credited with composing philosophical letters, poems, and parodies of famous verse. These fragments provide valuable insight into how the Cynics used humor and satire as tools for philosophical critique.