Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 287 BCE), a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, is the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school.

He came to Athens at a young age, and initially studied in Plato's school.

After Plato's death he attaches himself to Aristotle.

Aristotle bequeaths to Theophrastus his writings, and designates him as his successor at the Lyceum.

Theophrastus presides over the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time the school flourishes greatly.

After his death, the Athenians honor him with a public funeral.

His successor as head of the school is Strato of Lampsacus.

The interests of Theophrastus were wide-ranging, extending from biology and physics to ethics and metaphysics.

His two surviving botanical works, Enquiry into Plants and On the Causes of Plants, were an important influence on medieval science.

There are also surviving works On Moral Characters, On Sensation, On Stones, and fragments on Physics and Metaphysics all written in Greek.

In philosophy, he studied grammar and language, and continued Aristotle's work on logic.

He also regarded space as the mere arrangement and position of bodies, time as an accident of motion, and motion as a necessary consequence of all activity.

In ethics, he regarded happiness as depending on external influences as well as on virtue, and famously said that "life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."