The Prevailing Circumstances: The Pagan Philosophers of Athens in a Time of Stress
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v10i2.184Keywords:
Neo-Platonism and Pagan philosphyAbstract
The phrase, “prevailing circumstances” (tois Parousin oikeian) is one that can be found in the work of Damascius, Proclus, Simplicius and Olympiodorus, all Neoplatonic philosophers of the Athenian School during Late Antiquity. The fact that Proclus and his successors employed veiled expressions regarding the Christian threat documents their ongoing struggle with Christian authority. The brief reign of Julian the Apostate (360-363) was a crucial juncture for pagan political survival. The Academy in Athens founded by Plutarch and organized by Proclus and his followers was an institution with little continuity with Plato’s original academy. Proclus and his followers incorporated the oriental gods, theurgic practices and promoted Platonic theology much as did Julian with a new resoluteness. There are direct links which connect the Athenian school and its prominent teachers to Julian’s followers This paper documents the ongoing pagan-Christian struggle in the Athenian School , their continued allegiance to Julian and raises the question whether they were more actively politically subversive than their writings let on..References
Athanassiadi, Polymnia, ed. Damascius. The Philosophical History. Athens: Apamea Cultural Association, 1999
———. Julian and Hellenism. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981.
———. “Persecution and Response in Late Paganism: The Evidence of Damascius.” Journal of Helenic Studies 113 (1993): 1-29. doi:10.2307/632395
———. “The Chaldæan Oracles.” In Pagan Monotheism, edited by Polymnia Athanassiadi and M. Frede. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Bowersock, Glen W. Hellenism in Late Antiquity. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1990.
Burr, Elizabeth Geraldine. “Julian .the Apostate’ Against the Galileans.” In Religions of Late Antiquity in Practice, edited by Richard Valantasis, 143-55. Princeton: Princeton University Press: 2000.
Cameron, Alan. “The Last Days of the Academy at Athens.” Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society. 15 (1969): 7-29.
——— “Iamblichus at Athens.” Athenaeum 45 (1967): 146 ff.
Clarke, Emma C., John M. Dillon, and. Jackson P. Hershbell. Iamblichus, On the Mysteries. Leiden: Brill, 2003
Dillon, John M. “The Golden Chain. In The Golden Chain: Studies in the Development of Platonism and Christianity, edited by John Dillon. Aldershot: Variorum, 1990.
Eunapius. Lives of Philosophers, trans. by W. C. Wright, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998
Finamore, John. F. “Julian and the Descent of Asclepius.” Journal of Neoplatonic Studies 7 no. 2 (1999): 63-86.
Fowden, Garth.” The Pagan Holy Man in Late Antique Society.” Journal of Hellenic Studies. 102 (1982): 33-59. doi:10.2307/631125
Frede, M. “Celsus’ Attack on the Christians.” In Philosophia Togata II, edited by J. Barnes and M. Griffin, 220-237. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Glucker, John. Antiochus and the Late Academy. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 1978.
Hadot: Ilsetraut. “The life and work of Simplicius in Greek and Arabic sources.” In Aristotle.Transformed. edited by R. Sorabji, 275-303. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1990.
Iamblichus: On the Pythagorean Way of Life. Edited and translated by John Dillon and Jackson Hershbel. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1991
Kristeller, Paul Oskar. Renaissance Thought and its Sources. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979.
Lang, Helen and Anthony David Macro. Proclus On the Eternity of the World. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.
Lewy, Hans. Chaldaean Oracles and Theurgy: Mysticism, Magic and Platonism in the Later Roman Empire. Le Caire: Inst. Francais d’Archéologie Orientale, 1956.
Liebeschuetz, Wolf. “The Significance of the Speech of Praetextatus.” in Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity, edited by Polymnia Athanassiadi and Michael Frede, 185-206. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999, 185-205.
Marinus: Vita Procli. In Neoplatonic Saints: The Lives of Plotinus and Proclus by their Stu dents, translated and edited by Mark Edwards. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2000.
Mathews, J. F. “Symmachus and the Oriental Cults.” Journal of Roman Studies 63 (1973): 175-95 doi:10.2307/299176
O’Donnell, James. I. “The Demise of Paganism.” Traditio 35 (1979):45-88.
O’Meara, Dominic J. Pythagoras Revisited. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989.
Proclus. Elements of Theology. Edited and translated by E.R. Dodds. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1953:
Platonic Theology. Vols. 1-5. Edited and translated by H.D. Saffrey and L.G. Westerink. Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1968.
Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus: In Platonis Timaeum commentaria. Vols. 1-3. Edited by E. Diehl. Leipzig: Teubner, 1899-1901.
Siorvanes, Lucas. “Truth in the Platonic Theology.” In Proclus et la théologie platonicienne: actes du Colloque international de Louvain, 13-16 mai 1998, en l’honneur de H.D. Saffrey et L.G. Westerink, edited by A. Ph. Segonds and Carlos G. Steel, 1142-1145. Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2000.
Saffrey, H. D. “Allusions antichrétiennes chez Proclus, la diadoque platonicien.” Revue des Sciences Philosphiques et Théoloiques. 59 (1975): 553-63.
Sheppard, Anne. Studies on the 5th and 6th Essays of Proclus’ Commentary on the Republic. Gottingen: Vendenhoieck and Ruprecht, 1980.
Siorvanes, Lucas. Proclus. New Haven: Yale University. Press, 1996.
Smith, Rowland. Julian’s Gods. London and New York: Routledge Press, 1995.
Sorabji, Richard. Philoponus, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987.
Westerink, L.G. Anonymous Prolegomena to Platonic Philosophy. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing Company, 1962.
Williams, Stephen and Gerard Friell. Theodosius. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994.
———. Julian and Hellenism. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981.
———. “Persecution and Response in Late Paganism: The Evidence of Damascius.” Journal of Helenic Studies 113 (1993): 1-29. doi:10.2307/632395
———. “The Chaldæan Oracles.” In Pagan Monotheism, edited by Polymnia Athanassiadi and M. Frede. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Bowersock, Glen W. Hellenism in Late Antiquity. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1990.
Burr, Elizabeth Geraldine. “Julian .the Apostate’ Against the Galileans.” In Religions of Late Antiquity in Practice, edited by Richard Valantasis, 143-55. Princeton: Princeton University Press: 2000.
Cameron, Alan. “The Last Days of the Academy at Athens.” Proceedings of the Cambridge Philological Society. 15 (1969): 7-29.
——— “Iamblichus at Athens.” Athenaeum 45 (1967): 146 ff.
Clarke, Emma C., John M. Dillon, and. Jackson P. Hershbell. Iamblichus, On the Mysteries. Leiden: Brill, 2003
Dillon, John M. “The Golden Chain. In The Golden Chain: Studies in the Development of Platonism and Christianity, edited by John Dillon. Aldershot: Variorum, 1990.
Eunapius. Lives of Philosophers, trans. by W. C. Wright, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998
Finamore, John. F. “Julian and the Descent of Asclepius.” Journal of Neoplatonic Studies 7 no. 2 (1999): 63-86.
Fowden, Garth.” The Pagan Holy Man in Late Antique Society.” Journal of Hellenic Studies. 102 (1982): 33-59. doi:10.2307/631125
Frede, M. “Celsus’ Attack on the Christians.” In Philosophia Togata II, edited by J. Barnes and M. Griffin, 220-237. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
Glucker, John. Antiochus and the Late Academy. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 1978.
Hadot: Ilsetraut. “The life and work of Simplicius in Greek and Arabic sources.” In Aristotle.Transformed. edited by R. Sorabji, 275-303. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1990.
Iamblichus: On the Pythagorean Way of Life. Edited and translated by John Dillon and Jackson Hershbel. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1991
Kristeller, Paul Oskar. Renaissance Thought and its Sources. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979.
Lang, Helen and Anthony David Macro. Proclus On the Eternity of the World. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.
Lewy, Hans. Chaldaean Oracles and Theurgy: Mysticism, Magic and Platonism in the Later Roman Empire. Le Caire: Inst. Francais d’Archéologie Orientale, 1956.
Liebeschuetz, Wolf. “The Significance of the Speech of Praetextatus.” in Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity, edited by Polymnia Athanassiadi and Michael Frede, 185-206. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999, 185-205.
Marinus: Vita Procli. In Neoplatonic Saints: The Lives of Plotinus and Proclus by their Stu dents, translated and edited by Mark Edwards. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2000.
Mathews, J. F. “Symmachus and the Oriental Cults.” Journal of Roman Studies 63 (1973): 175-95 doi:10.2307/299176
O’Donnell, James. I. “The Demise of Paganism.” Traditio 35 (1979):45-88.
O’Meara, Dominic J. Pythagoras Revisited. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989.
Proclus. Elements of Theology. Edited and translated by E.R. Dodds. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1953:
Platonic Theology. Vols. 1-5. Edited and translated by H.D. Saffrey and L.G. Westerink. Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1968.
Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus: In Platonis Timaeum commentaria. Vols. 1-3. Edited by E. Diehl. Leipzig: Teubner, 1899-1901.
Siorvanes, Lucas. “Truth in the Platonic Theology.” In Proclus et la théologie platonicienne: actes du Colloque international de Louvain, 13-16 mai 1998, en l’honneur de H.D. Saffrey et L.G. Westerink, edited by A. Ph. Segonds and Carlos G. Steel, 1142-1145. Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2000.
Saffrey, H. D. “Allusions antichrétiennes chez Proclus, la diadoque platonicien.” Revue des Sciences Philosphiques et Théoloiques. 59 (1975): 553-63.
Sheppard, Anne. Studies on the 5th and 6th Essays of Proclus’ Commentary on the Republic. Gottingen: Vendenhoieck and Ruprecht, 1980.
Siorvanes, Lucas. Proclus. New Haven: Yale University. Press, 1996.
Smith, Rowland. Julian’s Gods. London and New York: Routledge Press, 1995.
Sorabji, Richard. Philoponus, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987.
Westerink, L.G. Anonymous Prolegomena to Platonic Philosophy. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing Company, 1962.
Williams, Stephen and Gerard Friell. Theodosius. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994.
Published
2009-04-20
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Kutash, E. F. (2009). The Prevailing Circumstances: The Pagan Philosophers of Athens in a Time of Stress. Pomegranate, 10(2), 184-206. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v10i2.184
