❧ Post-Neoplatonism (300–700 CE)

"Post-Neoplatonism" is my own term - it may need more refinement, but it is currently the lense through which I look at medieval Christian, Islamic, Jewish and (to a lesser extent) Zoroastrian philosophy. What I mean by it is that all reception of Greek philosophy after the end of Greco-Roman paganism is conditioned by the absolute dominance of Neoplatonism in the philosophical culture of the Roman empire from the fourth to sixth centuries. Even the texts surviving from other traditions - like Epictetus' Handbook and the works of the Aristotelian Alexander of Aphrodisias - were transmitted by the Neoplatonists. (Although admittedly the picture is a little different in Latin.) On the other hand, all Christian (and other non-pagan) philosophers we know of made significant changes to the Neoplatonic system to bring it in line with their religious beliefs, so that they cannot really be called Neoplatonists in a straightforward sense.

This page will be concerned with "Post-Neoplatonism" in 1. Latin, 2. Greek, 3. Armenian and 4. Syriac, all until around the time of the Islamic conquests. For the later Georgian reception of Proclus, see ❧ Proclus. Diis volentibus, I will deal with later philosophy in Latin, Greek, Arabic and other languages in the future.

1. Latin

Gaius Marius Victorinus
(?) Jerome
Augustine
Pseudo-Augustine
Favonius Eulogius
Claudianus Mamertus
Boëthius
(?) Cassiodorus
(?) Isidore of Seville

2. Greek
a) "Real" Neoplatonists?

Some of these authors - who were teachers of philosophy in Alexandria during or after the time of Olympiodorus - might have been pagans, or "pagan-minded" (hellênophrones) even though formally Christians (as their names suggest). I have not studied them enough to form a clear opinion. For another Christian/"real" Neoplatonist who seems to fall between the cracks of our categories, see Synesius on the ❧ Mid Neoplatonism page.

Elias
David
Pseudo-Elias/Pseudo-David (PsED)

2. Greek
b) Post-Neoplatonists

After the Christians in Plotinus' circle (3rd century), known from Porphyry's Life of Plotinus, it is only in the late 5th to 6th century that we have substantial writings from Christians who had studied with pagan Neoplatonist masters. But Neoplatonism had been the dominant philosophical system from around the time of Plotinus' death, so that late antique Christians routinely used ideas and terminology derived from Neoplatonic authors, even if they didn't accept (or even fully know) the entire system. This makes the question of who does or doesn't belong on this list fraught, but although I am currently far from comprehensiveness, I would prefer to err on the side of over-inclusion here.

I also include critics of Neoplatonism, if only because criticizing it required years of previous study.

4th century

(?) Gregory of Nyssa
(?) Basil of Caesarea
(?) Gregory of Nazianzus
Nemesius of Emesa

5th century

Zacharias Scholasticus
Aeneas of Gaza
Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagita

6th century

John of Scythopolis
John Philoponus

3. Armenian

David
(etc.)

4. Syriac

[under construction]

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