Confucius · Empedocles Were Confucius and Empedocles alive at the same time? Yes. Confucius and Empedocles were alive at the same time, from c. 494 BC to c. 479 BC. Confucius5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politicianBorn c. 551 BC · died c. 479 BCEmpedocles5th century BC Greek philosopherBorn c. 494 BC · died c. 434 BC AnaximanderCyrus the GreatConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesEmpedoclesPericlesHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Confucius and Empedocles 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.