Confucius · Protagoras Were Confucius and Protagoras alive at the same time? Yes. Confucius and Protagoras were alive at the same time, from c. 490 BC to c. 479 BC. Confucius5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politicianBorn c. 551 BC · died c. 479 BCProtagorasPre-Socratic Greek philosopherBorn c. 490 BC · died c. 420 BC AnaximanderCyrus the GreatConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesPericlesProtagorasHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Confucius and Protagoras 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.