Asclepiodotus of Alexandria

Asklepiodotos of Alexandria (Greek Ἀσκληπιόδοτος Asklēpiódotos; † before 526 ) was a late ancient Greek philosopher. He belonged to the Neo-Platonic school in Athens. His life falls into the fifth and possibly the early 6th century.

Swell

The main source is the Philosophical History of the Neo-Platonist Damascius, also known as the Vita Isidori. Damascius was a younger contemporary of Asklepiodotos and knew him personally. Other news includes the biography of the patriarch of Antioch Severo, written by the church historian Zacharias Scholasticus ( Zacharias Rhetor ). Zacharias was also a younger contemporary of Asklepiodotos; as a Christian, he wrote about it from the perspective of a religious opponent.

Life

Asklepiodotos came from a humble family living in Alexandria in Egypt. His father was possibly Antonios of Alexandria, the Damascius describes praise. According to Damascius ' representation Antonios was a simple, very religious man of exemplary life changing, but with no particular scientific or philosophical talent. This description is similar to the information provided by the Damascius on Asklepiodotos ' father. In any case, the family of the old religion was revealed thus stood in opposition to Christianity, which was in the Eastern Roman Empire state religion at the time.

Even as a child is said to have applied to the day Asklepiodotos acumen and an extraordinary curiosity. He dealt with early natural history issues, especially with botany and zoology, as well as materials science and engineering craftsmanship. Through diligent study of literature and interviews with experts, he acquired knowledge in all fields of knowledge. The prominent doctor Jakobos surnamed Psych Ristos introduced him to the art of healing. Later said to have exceeded this teacher in some ways Asklepiodotos; Damascius reports that he had the White Hellebore rediscovered as a medicinal plant and used with great success as incurable suffering. His scientific curiosity was also directed to the music, where he was particularly interested in understanding the enharmonic, and the acoustics of the human voice; he practiced in imitation of all the animal voices and of any noise.

Asklepiodotos came to Athens and studied at the Neo-Platonic school of philosophy. Damascius reports that he was untalented as Orphism for the study of metaphysics and religious teachings, but he had surpassed all his contemporaries as a scientist and done well in mathematics Outstanding; that he had acquired great fame. He had a talent for raising issues of concern; but was less pronounced was his ability to follow the explanations of others. In the field of ethics he had always want to innovate. He had, as Damascius noted disapprovingly, represented a reductionist approach and sought explanations only in the context of the realities of the sensible world. The understanding of the intelligible (only mentally detectable ) range have failed him. Therefore, his mind was not so perfect, as was widely believed. As Damascius and Zacharias also announce that Asklepiodotos dealt with magical and religious practices, the information about the lack of aptitude for religious- metaphysical thinking must not be understood in terms of a lack of interest in this subject area.

Despite his alleged lack of ability to understand the metaphysical teachings Asklepiodotos studied at the Neoplatonists Proclus, who led the Neo-Platonic school to 485 from 437 and the leading metaphysician of his time. Proclus dedicated to him his commentary on Plato's Parmenides dialogue; there he called him his best friend and praised his philosophical talent. Such a close relationship with a dedicated metaphysician as Proclus is difficult to reconcile with the assertion of Damascius, Asklepiodotos was untalented in the field of metaphysics. Simplicius, a pupil of Damascius, claims Asklepiodotos was the best pupil of Proclus; he was inclined because of his extraordinary ingenuity to innovate and departed from Proclus ' doctrine, for example, regarding the understanding of time.

From the originality of Asklepiodotos and his spirit of contradiction reflects a date notified by Damascius anecdote, according to which the young Asklepiodotos scholars Domninos of Larissa, a student of the famous Neoplatonist Syrianos visited, . He is said to have objected Domninos so disrespectful and strongly in a disagreement over an arithmetic theorem that this is no longer permitted him to his lessons. On the other hand, it describes Damascius but also as affable; he was a pleasant interlocutor, both in serious discussions as well as in cheerful conversations.

His students included Isidor, who was later elected Scholarchen ( Headmaster ) and his pupil Damascius was.

After the completion of its work in Athens itself Asklepiodotos went first to Syria, where he - as Damascius reports - " the behavior of the people studied ." Later he lived in the city of Aphrodisias in Caria, in southwest Asia Minor, where he was visited by Damascius. Excavations of 1981/82 there have unearthed portraits that suggest that the complex of buildings in which they were erected, a gathering place of Neoplatonists was. Roland RR Smith thinks that there could be a run of Asklepiodotos philosophical school.

Asklepiodotos married Damiane, a daughter of Asklepiodotos of Aphrodisias, an influential local politician, who was also in the favor of the emperor. Since the marriage remained childless for some time, the couple traveled to Egypt, there to gain the help of the goddess Isis. The hostile portrayal of the Christian Zacharias of these efforts were unsuccessful; it, the two are said to have bought a foreign newborn in Egypt and output as their child. The alleged miracle that a barren woman had a child, had been then used by the opponents of Christianity for religious propaganda. However, Damascius writes Damiane got pregnant thanks to divine help. He also mentions that Asklepiodotos left several daughters at his death.

As Damascius wrote his Philosophical History ( 517-526 ), Asklepiodotos was no longer alive.

It is possible that some details do not relate to Asklepiodotos of Alexandria, but on his eponymous father of Aphrodisias in the sources. But there is no sound evidence that the father was philosophically interested at all.

Works and teaching

From Asklepiodotos no writings have been preserved, of his philosophical doctrines no details are known. The living in the 6th century Neoplatonist Olympiodorus, who describes him as a great philosopher, mentions a comment written by him to Plato's dialogue Timaeus. Damascius reports of hymns, the Asklepiodotos wrote.

Source editions and translations

• Polymnia Athanassiadi ( eds): Damascius: The Philosophical History. Apamea Cultural Association, Athens 1999, ISBN 960-85325-2-3 ( critical edition of the extracts and fragments with English translation)
• Marc- Antoine Kugener (ed.): Vie de Sévère par Zacharie le Scholastique ( Patrologia Orientalis =, Vol 2). Brepols, Turnhout, 1971 ( reprint of Paris 1903), pp. 7-115 ( Syriac text and French translation )