While Philo certainly was an exegete of the Mosaic Scriptures, his role is not limited to offering a synthesis between prevailing Platonic motifs and the Bible, which was subsequently emulated by Christian writers 12. 14 On Philo’s positive attitude towards Greek culture, which was subsequently nuanced by Roman prejudi (.)ģIn the present article I wish to draw attention to Philo’s active role and overall significance in the context of Alexandrian Platonism, which I take to be very distinct.
12 The exegetical dimension of Philo’s work has been emphasized by Nikiprowetzky 1977 and Runia 1993.Scholars, who identify this thinker as a student of Antiochus, claim the same for Philo, while scholars, who stress Eudorus’ independence from Antiochus, tend to argue that he was followed by Philo 11. Did he adhere to a Stoicizing form widely spread by Antiochus or rather more to a distinctly Alexandrian branch of Platonism, which opposed Stoicism? Since Philo is often held to be rather unoriginal, reflecting contemporary discussions rather than shaping them, the dispute revolves mostly around Eudorus. While many scholars today agree that Philo was an avid reader of Plato’s works, familiar also with the tradition of their interpretation, it is debated what kind of Platonism he embraced. Runia followed in 1986 with a detailed study of Plato’s Timaeus in Philo’s work 10. In 1977 John Dillon provided the first systematic analysis of Philo as a Middle-Platonist David T. 11 Eudorus and Philo have been interpreted as Stoicizing Platonists by Dillon 1977, 139-183 Reydams-S (.)ĢWhat role did Philo play in this context? Following Pierre Boyancé’s pioneering studies, scholars have increasingly recognized Philo’s place in Alexandrian Platonism 9.Ammonius Saccas, the “Socrates” of the new movement, taught here influential thinkers, such as Plotinus, who spent eleven years in Alexandria before establishing himself in Rome 8.
Finally, the city hosted important harbingers of Neo-Platonism. Another anonymous Platonic treatise most likely stems from Alexandria, namely On the Nature of the World and the Soul 7. He may also have authored the anonymous commentary on the Theaetetus, our earliest extant, running commentary on any of Plato’s works 6. More importantly, Eudorus in the first century BCE played a decisive role in the revival of Platonism 5. Eratosthenes, the famous scientist and literary critic of the mid-third century BCE, was known as a Platonist interested in the mathematical aspects of philosophy 4. Other Alexandrians significantly contributed to the interpretation of Plato’s works. The same scholar also introduced the trilogical division of the corpus, based on literary criteria, which was subsequently replaced by the tetralogical division of Tiberius’ court philosopher Thrasyllus 3. The first edition of Plato’s works with text-critical signs was produced here in the second century BCE by Aristophanes of Byzantium 2. Ennead I.ġAlexandria occupies a special place in the history of Platonism 1. On the Life of Plotinus 7-17 = preface to Plot. The commentator’s preoccupation with skepticism in the Aca (.)
While the critical signs correspond in many respects to those developed in connection (.) 435/08) for supporting the research on whi (.)
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