The Seven Sages of Greece were a famous group of intellectuals, statesmen, and lawgivers from the early 6th century BCE. They were not a formal school but a later collection of individuals celebrated for their practical wisdom. The most common list, recorded by Plato, includes Thales of Miletus, Pittacus of Mytilene, Bias of Priene, Solon of Athens, Cleobulus of Lindus, Chilon of Sparta, and Myson of Chenae. Other ancient sources sometimes substitute different figures, such as Periander of Corinth. Their backgrounds were typically aristocratic, and they held significant political roles like lawgiver, tyrant, or military leader in various city-states across the Greek world.

They were renowned for short, memorable sayings rather than long books. Their famous maxims, such as "Know thyself" and "Nothing in excess," were later inscribed at the Delphic Oracle. Among the group, only fragments of poetry by Solon survive directly from antiquity. The other Sages are known only through their sayings preserved by later writers. According to modern scholars, any attributions of longer prose works to them are likely later inventions.

The Seven Sages hold a foundational place in Greek cultural history. They represent a transition from mythical wisdom to a more rational and civic-minded form of thought. Their primary significance lies in their role as practical reformers and lawgivers, providing early models for Greek political theory. Their collected sayings continued to be used for centuries as core examples of ethical instruction.