Een introductie tot [Theano]: Op zoek naar vrouwelijke stemmen in de Pythagoreïsche filosofie

While the Pythagorean philosopher Theano was famous in classical antiquity and the middle ages, writings attributed to her have been removed from the literary canon in the past centuries. This article therefore aims to provide an introduction to this enigmatic philosopher and paragon of female virtue. First, I examine the role of the historical Theano within the Pythagorean philosophical tradition. Secondly, I analyse the philosophical letters attributed to her. And thirdly, I explore the broader implications of these letters and other writings attributed to female Pythagoreans for our understanding of female voices in ancient philosophy. Finally, given that Theano’s name was so wellknown in classical antiquity, I examine why her name has disappeared from the canonical literature of antiquity.