Ammonius of Athens

Ammonius (Greek Ἀμμώνιος, Latin Marcus Annius Ammonius; * to 5 AD; † 85 AD in Athens ) was an ancient philosopher. He was a Platonist and lived in the era of Mittelplatonismus. He is best known for the role he plays in the works of his famous pupil Plutarch.

Life

Ammonius was from Egypt. Maybe he was already there, in Alexandria, his training in Platonic philosophy. He moved to Athens, where he worked as a teacher of philosophy, but not - as previously thought - as a conductor ( Scholarch ) of the Platonic Academy. Since the demise of the " younger Academy " and founded by Antiochus of Ascalon " Old Academy " in the 1st century BC there were at Athens Academy as an institution no more, but only individual Platonist who gave their students lessons. However, the term "academy" has also been used to present times, when the study of Platonic doctrines was talk.

Know well in the year 67, during Emperor Nero's stay in Greece, Ammonius learned the Roman Senator Marcus Annius Afrinus who was Suffektkonsul this year. Afrinus, a benefactor of Athens, gave him Roman citizenship. Therefore Ammonius took on the first name and family name of his patron.

As Athenians Ammonios enjoyed among his fellow citizens eminence; three times he held the office of the strategists of the hoplites, one of the most important offices in the city.

Ammonius was married and had a son Thrasyllos and possibly another son Ammonius. Thrasyllos obtained the very prestigious position of herald of the Areopagus in his lifetime of his father.

The hypothesis that Plutarch's teacher Ammonius is to be identified with the writer of Ammonius Lamptrai is no longer represented in the recent research.

Teaching

From works of Ammonius is not known. All surviving information about his teaching, which apparently took place exclusively in Athens, derived from his student Plutarch, who greatly admired him. Plutarch mentions him several times in his writings. He leaves him in some of his dialogues ( "On the E at Delphi ", " About the Oracle extinct ", more " table talks" ) to act as panel participants. In "On the E at Delphi " Ammonius is the main character of the dialogue, in "On the extinct oracle " he plays a lesser role. In the " Table Talk " transfers him Plutarch the presentation of views which he himself shares. Moreover, Plutarch also wrote a script " Ammonius or over the incompatibility of joy with wickedness ," which has not been preserved. Apparently there was a dialogue in which Ammonius played a central role.

From Plutarch's sources show that his teacher was influenced by Pythagorean ideas. Plutarch was introduced by Ammonius in mathematics for which he was enthusiastic in his youth, and in the religious dimension of Platonism.

Particularly revealing is Plutarch's dialogue "On the E at Delphi ." There Ammonios represents neo-Pythagorean doctrines, including the identification of the " a ", the supreme deity, with Apollo, where the name of God is interpreted etymologically in this sense; Apollo is the or the " Not Many " (from a " not," the alpha privative, and Polla " a lot "). Ammonius differs sharply between the world of birth and death and no change subjugated world of imperishable, timeless, which is inaccessible after his conviction of human reason. Apollo is "pure", ie uniform, not assembled. In some ways he is present in the world of perishable things and thereby causes the cohesion of which, as it tends by itself to self-dissolution. However, the incessant changes of earthly conditions do not fall within the jurisdiction of the supreme deity, but is referred to in the of a subordinate god or demon, a demiurge, the pluton. Pluto, in Greek mythology, the ruler of the underworld, the world appears in Ammonius ' and Plutarch as Lord of the earth and the natural processes. Unlike Apollo, the " Not many," that diversity is associated with it ( his name means " the rich " ), and Plutarch can Ammonios point out that Pluton " dark " and - like a verse from Homer's Iliad states - of all the gods mortals is most hated. Accordingly, the people of them hostile power are assumed.