A mathematical relationship forever linked with Pythagoras has been discovered on a 3700-year-old Babylonian clay tablet, revealing this foundational geometric principle was known 1000 years before Pythagoras lived. (Felton, 2022)

The tablet, designated Plimpton 322 by archaeologists, contains a visual proof of the famous Pythagorean theorem a millennium before Pythagoras of Samos was born around 570 BCE (Ossendrijver, 2016). This upends the long-held assumption that Pythagoras first formulated the relationship between the sides of a right triangle that is a fundamental concept in geometry.

However, while Pythagoras did not originate the theorem himself, his quasi-religious brotherhood played a key role in propagating and venerating it, leading to the enduring association with his name (Burkert, 1972). Beyond mathematics, Pythagoras also founded an influential esoteric school whose teachings on numerical mysticism and the harmony of the spheres inspired Western occult traditions ranging from numerology to music theory to Tarot (Hall, 2018). His aura of mystery produced a mythology surrounding Pythagoras of legendary abilities and divine powers.

Through both his mathematical legacy and initiation of esoteric orders, Pythagoras became a seminal figure whose influence endured for millennia.