Myia was a philosopher from ancient Greece who lived during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. She was a member of the Pythagorean school, a community in southern Italy known for including women among its followers. According to ancient tradition, she was the daughter of the famous philosopher Pythagoras and his wife Theano, and was married to the athlete Milo of Croton. However, specific details about her life are scarce and often blend with legend.
She is credited with one surviving work: a letter of advice written to a woman named Phyllis on how to care for a newborn infant. The letter is written in the Doric Greek dialect. The authenticity of this letter is debated among scholars. Some believe it is a genuine work from the early Pythagorean period, while others suggest it is a later composition from the Hellenistic or Roman era, written in her name to represent the voice of an early female philosopher.
Myia is significant as one of the first named female philosophers in Western history. Whether her letter is authentic or not, its preservation shows that Pythagorean thought addressed practical domestic and ethical topics, such as child-rearing and household management. According to modern scholars, her recorded name and attributed work demonstrate the historical participation of women in early philosophical communities and the later interest in creating a tradition of female wisdom.
Available Works
Sources
- Stanford Encyclopedia Entry (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Accessed: 2026-01-25
- IEP Entry (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Accessed: 2026-01-25