HIPPIAS OF ELIS

Hippias was born at Elis in the mid 5th-century BC and was a younger contemporary of Protagoras and Socrates. He was a disciple of Hegesidamus.

Hippias had extensive knowledge on numerous areas, including, except rhetorical, philosophical, and political studies, also poetry, music, mathematics, painting, as well as sculpture. He also claimed practical skill in ordinary arts and made himself, with his own hands, his seal-ring, his cloak, and his shoes.

Hippias is credited with originating the idea of natural law during the 5th century BC. According to Hippias, natural law was never to be superseded as it was universal. These ideas influenced also Cynicism and Stoicism.