Confucius · Pericles Were Confucius and Pericles alive at the same time? Yes. Confucius and Pericles were alive at the same time, from 494 BC to c. 479 BC. Confucius5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politicianBorn c. 551 BC · died c. 479 BCPericlesAthenian statesman, orator and generalBorn 494 BC · died 429 BC AnaximanderCyrus the GreatConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesPericlesHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Confucius and Pericles 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.