Mencius · Epicurus Were Mencius and Epicurus alive at the same time? Yes. Mencius and Epicurus were alive at the same time, from 342 BC to c. 289 BC. MenciusChinese Confucian philosopherBorn c. 372 BC · died c. 289 BCEpicurusAncient Greek philosopherBorn 342 BC · died 270 BC AristotleChanakyaMenciusAlexander the GreatEpicurusAshokaArchimedes Mencius and Epicurus in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.