Ammonius Saccas

Ammonius Sakkas (Greek Ἀμμώνιος Σακκᾶς Ammonius Sakkas; † 242 or 243 in Alexandria, Egypt ) was a philosopher in the Platonic tradition and founder of a school, from the teachings of the day designated by the modern concept of Platonism Neoplatonism direction has emerged.

Name

The origin of Ammonius ' alleged nickname Sakkas is unclear. In Neoplatonic writings the epithet does not appear, it is only sporadically attested in late antiquity and may not be contemporary. An enemy Christian writer of the 5th century - Theodoret - alleged that the appointment of the philosophers go back to being Ammonius in his youth grain sacks ( sákkous ) have dragged. This interpretation probably served the purpose of defamation. Probably, if the epithet is contemporary, referring to a rough, baggy philosopher robe ( σάκκος jackets, see Latin saccus cilicinus ).

The discussed in the earlier research literature hypothesis, Sakkas was not originally a Greek word, but an Indian name, is refuted. The assumption of a non-Greek origin of the word today in research advocates no more.

Life

After a handed down by the church writers Eusebius of Caesarea quote from the lost pamphlet of the Neo-Platonist Porphyry against the Christians Ammonios came from a Christian home, but turned in his youth of Christianity from when he first met the ( Platonic ) philosophy. Eusebius has this claim strongly; he assured Ammonius remained until his death in Christ. This is probably due to the fact that Eusebius mistook the intentioned of Porphyry Ammonius with a same Christian writers. In research, but also considering the possibility is considered that Ammonius Christianity was not entirely abandoned, but - but outside the church - still believed and tried to bring it with Platonism in compliance.

Ammonius appears to have only taught in Alexandria. He died either shortly before or shortly after the departure of his most important disciple of Plotinus, who left 242 or 243 Alexandria.

Teaching

The main source of Ammonius ' teaching is Porphyry, a pupil of Plotinus. From Porphyry's data show that Plotinus on what he had learned from Ammonius, noted. Therefore, it can be assumed that the philosophy of Ammonius corresponded in the Broad those of Plotinus. However, it is unclear whether the Plotinian doctrine of a decline as the highest principle of existence above to Ammonius. Details of his philosophy are not reliably reconstructed. Apparently its action was based more on his philosophical and philological method as on certain doctrines; in his school " no philosophy taught but philosophizes " was, like Matthias Baltes says.

His interpretation of the relationship between Plato and Aristotle, was characterized by a striving for harmonization; he was of the opinion that the two philosophers agree in their main doctrines. Basically he wanted to with the juxtaposition of the different schools of thought not resign because he considered it incompatible with the scientific character of philosophy. He sought a philosophy " without internal discord " to, ie, a coherent universal philosophy which abolishes the existing after his conviction only on the surface contrasts between the law schools. At the level of commonality he thought he could advance by pursuing the questions and thoughts of the individual philosophers to their root. Just a deeper understanding of the characteristics should lead to the detection of the common truth.

Reception

Ammonius has left no writings, but strongly influenced by his students, the development of Platonism. His most famous student was Plotinus who studied from 232 to 242 with him before he moved to Rome where he established his own school. Another student named Ammonius, Origen was long identified with the famous Christian writer Origen, who was actually influenced platonic. Modern research has shown that the pupil Ammonius, Origen was not the Christ, but an identically non-Christian Platonist. However, it is possible that the Christian Origen also attended courses of Ammonius, without belonging to the narrow circle of students. Another pupil of Ammonius was the famous philosopher and grammarian Longinus, who in turn founded a school in Athens later.

From the data of Porphyry shows that after the death of three of his students Ammonius, Plotinus, Herennios ( Erennios ) and Origen, agreed not to " reveal " his scientific legacy to. This agreement was later broken only by Herennios, then by Origen; Finally therefore also considered Plotinus the agreement as null and void. The purpose of the agreement is unclear; maybe it was a matter of confidentiality of a core component of teaching, was found on the model of Plato's " unwritten doctrine " as unsuitable for publication.

In the 20th century have been occasional claims that the epithet Sakkas is of Indian origin, if it were originally a tribal designation ( Saker ) or family name ( Shakya ) and let it follow, however, Ammonius was not Egyptian, but was Indian. From such considerations made ​​starting Erich Seeberg 1942 Ammonios an Aryan and Ernst Benz suspected in 1951, the teacher of Plotinus was an Indian philosopher or a Buddhist monk; thereby to let pass a " in the pagan and Christian world of Alexandria Declaration of the inflow of Indian philosophy ". From antiquity the scientific side of these hypotheses were rejected emphatically; they are now considered refuted and are no longer represented in the art.