The philosophical school of Elea - Velia: Parmenide, Zeno and Melissus of Samos

One of the prides of Velia (Elea) is the Eleatic school, a Pre-Socratic philosophical school that affected philosophy of following centuries. Eleatic philosophers opposed themselves to an anthropomorphic world made of gods that were strongly humanized. They tried to pursue the search for a Being, one, eternal and unchangeable. The philosopher Senofane stayed in Elea (Velia) in his old age and he probably was the master of Parmenide.
The Eleatic school stated that senses were deceptive and were not able to investigate the Being. Only starting from certain premises, it is possible to develop knowledge and, therefore, only thought can reach the Truth, using mathematical methods.

Philosophers of Elea (Velia) made a real cultural revolution. They opposed Milesian school, whose doctrine, based on naturalistic features, considered existence as a combination of basic elements. They opposed also the theory by Heraclites that considered existence as a continuous change. Therefore, Eleatic school opposes the polytheist world and chooses a "monotheist" ideal of world. They did not believe in creation because the Being (today we could define the Being as God, not the Christian God anyway) had always existed. The main philosopher of Eleatic school was Parmenide and his pupils Zeno and Melissus of Samos.