Iamblichus

Born circa A.D. 250 in Chalcis, Syria; died circa 330. Greek philosopher and founder of the Syrian school of Neo-platonism; follower of Porphyry.

Iamblichus continued the Neoplatonist tendency toward further differentiation of the basic concepts of Plotinus (“the One,” “the Intelligence,” or nous, and “the Soul”) and combined the latter’s teachings with Eastern mysticism. Of Iamblichus’ large compendium of Pythagorean teachings, five treatises are extant. The extremely elaborate multilevel system that he worked out consisted of the gods above the world, who were pure intellects and pure soul; the heavenly gods, who commanded the 12 world spheres—earth, water, air, fire, the seven planets, and the ether; the subheavenly deities; and finally the “guardian” deities and demons of various peoples and individuals. This system represented Iamblichus’ attempt to defend the polytheism of ancient mythology in the face of triumphant Christian monotheism.

In his treatise On the Egyptian Mysteries, Iamblichus sought to interpret and classify such classical religious rites as divination and the offering of sacrifices. Of great historical and philosophical importance is the method used by Iamblichus in his commentary on Plato’s dialogues (which he treated in all their various aspects—for example, from the ethical, logical, cosmological, and physical point of view); this method determined the course of all later Neoplatonic commentaries, including those of Pico della Mirandola and other members of the Platonic Academy in Florence.