Biography
Overview
When young Thomas joined the new Dominican order against his noble family's wishes, they kidnapped him and locked him in a castle for a year. He spent the time memorizing Scripture and studying Aristotle. They called him the 'Dumb Ox' because he was large, quiet, and slow to speak, but when he did speak, his arguments were devastating.
Thomas faced a crisis: the rediscovery of Aristotle's complete works through Arabic translations threatened to split faith from reason. Many wanted to ban Aristotle; Thomas chose instead to baptize him. His Summa Theologiae, meant as a 'brief' textbook for beginners, became the most comprehensive synthesis of Christian thought ever written: thousands of articles, each beginning with objections he stated more forcefully than his opponents could, then systematically resolved. He wrote on God's existence, the nature of the soul, law, virtue, and the proper ordering of society.
Aquinas’s world, year by year
c. 1225c. 1274
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Dated facts
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- 1225Thomas Aquinas was born c. 1225, most likely in his family's castle of Roccasecca near Aquino, in the Kingdom of Sicily.
- 1239He began his education at the abbey of Monte Cassino at five and from 1239 studied at the studium generale in Naples.
- 1248He studied under Albertus Magnus, following him from Paris to the new studium generale at Cologne in 1248.
- 1256In 1256 he became regent master in theology at Paris, holding the post again from 1268 until early 1272.
- 1259He wrote the Summa contra Gentiles (1259–1265) and the Summa Theologiae (1265–1274), seeking to synthesize Aristotle with Christian teaching.
- 1273After a reported mystical experience on 6 December 1273, he stopped writing, saying all he had written seemed like straw to him.
- 1274Falling ill on his way to the Second Council of Lyon, he died at the Cistercian abbey of Fossanova on 7 March 1274.
Alive at the same time
Overlap Same years; not influence
Wars during this life
- Goryeo-Mongol Wars
- Second Barons' War
- Mongol Conquest of Song China
- Mongol Invasions of Vietnam
- Northern Crusades / Baltic Crusades
- Mali Empire Conquests
Sources
Primary works and follow-on reading.
Primary Sources
- Summa Theologiae
- Summa contra Gentiles
- Commentaries on Aristotle
- Reference profile for Thomas Aquinas
Further Reading
- Aquinas: A Very Short Introduction - Fergus Kerr
- Thomas Aquinas - Brian Davies
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Thomas Aquinas.
Who was Thomas Aquinas?
When young Thomas joined the new Dominican order against his noble family's wishes, they kidnapped him and locked him in a castle for a year. He spent the time memorizing Scripture and studying Aristotle. They called him the 'Dumb Ox' because he was large, quiet, and slow to speak, but when he did speak, his arguments were devastating. Thomas faced a crisis: the rediscovery of Aristotle's complete works through Arabic translations threatened to split faith from reason. Many wanted to ban Aristotle; Thomas chose instead to baptize him. His Summa Theologiae, meant as a 'brief' textbook for beginners, became the most comprehensive synthesis of Christian thought ever written: thousands of articles, each beginning with objections he stated more forcefully than his opponents could, then systematically resolved. He wrote on God's existence, the nature of the soul, law, virtue, and the proper ordering of society.
What was Thomas Aquinas best known for?
Aquinas is best known as a philosopher. Medieval theologian and philosopher who synthesized Aristotelian reason with Christian doctrine into Scholastic method.
When did Thomas Aquinas live?
Aquinas lived 1225-1274 CE, born in 1225 and died in 1274, during the medieval period.
Can I chat with an AI version of Thomas Aquinas?
Yes, free. Anyone can ask Aquinas, and a first question needs no account. Every answer is a Simulation in character, grounded in Aquinas’s real life, work and era. A good first question is: "How do I think more clearly about a confusing question?"
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- Reasoned Theology: Uniting faith and reason
- Ethical Analysis: Applying natural law to cases
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“Thomas Aquinas.” HistorIQly. https://historiqly.com/ai-historical-figures/thomas-aquinas/
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