According to ancient Greek philosophy, the most prominent figure who did not believe in the soul or life after death was Epicurus (341 BC to 270 BC) He taught that the soul was made up of atoms that dissolved at death, implying that existence ceased upon dying.
Epicures
He believed that all matter was made out of the smallest possible part any matter can be divided into and that all matter, including the body and soul of men, were made from the same indivisible particles — atoms.
He also believed that because there was no life after death it made sense to have the best of times while you were alive. To this day, an Epicurean lifestyle is understood to be a lifestyle of pleasure and enjoyment. “Pleasure is the principle and end to a happy life.”
What a pleasure…
These clever Greeks did believe in Gods. Very much to their credit, they were convinced prayer was useless, as the Gods were far too busy to take note of mortals’ lives. A satirical version of that notion is, “God is too busy killing babies in Africa.”
De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things) is a Roman poem, written some 200 years later, that celebrates Epicurean philosophy:
That author was Lucretius (c. 99 BC–c. 55 BC), and he wrote a 7400-line poem that purported to introduce readers to the Epicurean philosophy, which is the foundation of modern science.
Pompeii, where Lucretius is believed to have lived.
De Rerum Natura was translated into English repeatedly, and in most cases remains a difficult poem to read and understand if you are not well versed in classical Greek and Roman literature.
If you are interested in trying it, I suggest the translation by Ian Johnston. A Kindle edition, available for little money, comes with many clarifying footnotes that help make it an enjoyable read. Click here.
The poem is divided into six books that cover topics like the nature of the soul, atomic motion, and the mechanics of thought.
The Atomists (philosophers who were followers of Epicures) believed humans are made of atoms. They thought that after death, bodies and souls would revert to their original building blocks, the atoms.