The Milesians of Hellenic (Greek) civilization were the inhabitants of Miletus, a city in the Anatolia province of modern-day Turkey, near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and at the mouth of the Meander River . Settlers from Crete moved to Miletus sometime in 16th century BC. By the 6th century BC, Miletus had become a maritime empire, and the Milesians spread out across Turkey and even as far as the Crimea, founding new colonies.

Famous Milesians:

• Miletus (mythological founder)
• Thales - "first" Greek philosopher; "the father of science"
• Anaximander - philosopher; pupil of Thales
• Anaximenes - philosopher; friend or pupil of Anaximander
• Eubulides - philosopher; formulated the "liar paradox"
• Hecataeus - historian
• Hesychius Illustrius - chronicler and biographer
• Aristides - writer
• Isidorus - architect
• Timotheus - poet
• Cadmus - historian, perhaps mythical

Milesian tyrants under Persia:

• Histiaeus
• Aristagoras