Hall of Sages

Ancient Chinese military strategist, philosopher, and author of The Art of War, an immensely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. His work has influenced both Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, and beyond.

Founding Father of the United States, polymath, author, printer, political theorist, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. Author of Poor Richards Almanack and his celebrated Autobiography.

Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, botanist, and writer. Creator of the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. His notebooks reveal a mind of unparalleled curiosity and inventive imagination.

Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD and Stoic philosopher. Author of Meditations, a series of personal writings recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Regarded as the last of the Five Good Emperors.

German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest physicists of all time. Developed the theory of relativity and made important contributions to quantum mechanics. Received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. Known for his thought experiments and accessible explanations of complex physics.

Classical Greek philosopher credited as the founder of Western philosophy. Known for the Socratic method of questioning. His ideas survive primarily through the dialogues of his student Plato, including The Republic, Apology, Symposium, and Phaedo.

Athenian philosopher, student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, and founder of the Academy in Athens — the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Author of philosophical dialogues including The Republic, Symposium, Phaedrus, Laws, and Timaeus. His theory of Forms profoundly shaped Western philosophy.

Greek philosopher and polymath, student of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great. Founded the Lyceum in Athens. His writings cover physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics, meteorology, geology, and government. Often called "The First Teacher" in the Islamic world and "The Philosopher" in the Western tradition.

English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the worlds greatest dramatist. Author of Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and 154 Sonnets. His works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.