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date: 09 December 2023

Iamblichus(2)locked

, Neoplatonist philosopher, c. 245–c. 325 ce

Iamblichus(2)locked

, Neoplatonist philosopher, c. 245–c. 325 ce
  • D. O'Meara

Extract

Iamblichus (2) (c. 245–c. 325 ce), *Neoplatonist philosopher, born at Chalcis in Coele Syria (mod. Qinnesrin), probably studied with *Porphyry in Rome or Sicily; later he founded his own school in Syria (? at Apamea). Extant writings: (1) A compendium of Pythagorean philosophy (largely compiled from extracts derived from earlier writers, Platonic, Aristotelian, and Pythagorean, see plato(1); aristotle; pythagoras(1)), of which the first four books survive: On the Pythagorean Life (VP), Protrepticus (believed to contain material from Aristotle's lost Protrepticus), On General Mathematical Science (Dcms), On Nicomachus' Arithmetical Introduction (In Nic.); (2) The ‘Reply of Abammon to Porphyry's Letter to Anebo’, known as De mysteriis (Myst.). Iamblichus' lost writings (of which fragments survive) include a work On the Soul (excerpts preserved in *Stobaeus); one On the Gods, probably used by *Macrobius and *Julian; an extensive exposition of Chaldaean theology; letters (excerpted by Stobaeus); and commentaries on Plato and Aristotle which were fundamental sources for later Greek Neoplatonist commentators.

Subjects

  • Philosophy

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