Pythagoreans were the followers of the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras. Interestingly, the term "Pythagorean" has several synonyms, including Pythagorist, Pythagoreanist, and Pythagorize. These words refer to the disciples of Pythagoras, who believed in the power of numbers and their influence on the universe. The Pythagoreans were known for their secrecy and strict adherence to their teachings, which included vegetarianism, the transmigration of souls, and the belief in the harmony of the spheres. In addition, the Pythagoreans were credited for their contributions to mathematics, including the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.