Confucius · Aeschylus Were Confucius and Aeschylus alive at the same time? Yes. Confucius and Aeschylus were alive at the same time, from 525 BC to c. 479 BC. Confucius5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politicianBorn c. 551 BC · died c. 479 BCAeschylusAncient Athenian playwrightBorn 525 BC · died 456 BC AnaximanderCyrus the GreatConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesPericlesHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Confucius and Aeschylus in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.