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Maximus (3), of Ephesus, Neoplatonist philosopher, d. 371–372ce; See Neoplatonism. A pupil of *Aedesius, who was himself a pupil of *Iamblichus(2), Maximus followed his master's tendency to emphasize *theurgy and *magic. However, like many Neoplatonists, he combined this interest in the supernatural with rigorous philosophy, producing work on Aristotelian logic and in particular a (lost) commentary on Aristotle'sCategories. Maximus' own most distinguished pupil was the future emperor *Julian. In 361 Maximus was invited by Julian, now emperor, to join his court at Constantinople and remained with him until his death during his Persian campaign. He remained in favour under Jovian but fell into disfavour under Valentinian and Valens and was imprisoned in 364 and again in 365-6. His release was due to the support of Clearchus, the proconsul of Asia. In 371–2 he was put to death for complicity in a plot to assassinate Valens. He is probably not the author of an astrological poem in hexameters sometimes attributed to him.