Platonopolis: Platonic Political Philosophy in Late Antiquity

Contents......Page 10
Abbreviations......Page 13
INTRODUCTION......Page 14
1. The Conventional View......Page 16
2. Preliminary Denifition of ‘Political Philosophy’......Page 18
3. Divinization and Politics: Two Functions......Page 21
4. Plan of the Work......Page 23
1. Plotinus' Circle in Rome......Page 26
2. The lamblichean Schools in Syria and Asia Minor......Page 29
3. The Athenian School......Page 32
4. The Alexandrian School......Page 36
PART I. NEOPLATONIC POLITICAL THEORY RECONSTRUCTED: THE DIVINIZATION OF SOUL......Page 40
3. Divinization in Greek Philosophy......Page 44
1. Aristotle, Epicurus, and Stoics......Page 45
2. Plato......Page 48
3. Neoplatonism......Page 49
1. Plotinus, Ennead I 2......Page 53
2. Porphyry, Sentences, ch. 32......Page 57
3. Iamblichus and Later Neoplatonism......Page 59
1. Science as the School of Virtue......Page 63
2. The Scale of Sciences in lamblichus......Page 66
3. Some Difficulties......Page 68
1. ‘Minor Mysteries’......Page 74
2. Iamblichus’ Platonic Curriculum......Page 75
3. A Reading List in Political Virtue and Science......Page 78
PART II. NEOPLATONIC POLITICAL THEORY RECONSTRUCTED: THE DIVINIZATION OF THE STATE......Page 82
1. Motives......Page 86
2. The Happiness of Philosopher-Kings......Page 94
3. Philosopher-Queens......Page 96
1. The Finality of the State......Page 100
2. Levels of Political Reform......Page 104
3. Models......Page 107
4. The Primacy of Law......Page 111
5. Constitutions......Page 114
9. Political Science: Judicial......Page 119
1. The Penology of Plato's Eschatological Myths......Page 120
2. Eschatological Judgement and Punishment......Page 123
3. Sopatros’ Letter to Himerius......Page 125
10. The Political Function of Religion......Page 129
1. The Political Function of Religion in Plato......Page 130
2. Julian the Emperor's Religious Programme......Page 133
3. Religious Cult in Iamblichus......Page 136
4. Theurgy and the Retreat to Private Cult......Page 141
11. The Limits of Political Action......Page 145
1. The Heteronomy ofAction......Page 146
2. Practical Wisdom......Page 149
3. Success and Failure......Page 151
PART III. PLATONOPOLIS IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM......Page 154
1. Eusebius’ Praise of Constantine......Page 158
2. The Philosophical Background to the Praise of Constantine......Page 160
3. ‘Pythagorean’ Politics in the Early Augustine......Page 164
4. The Rejection of Neoplatonism in the City of God......Page 167
1. The Neoplatonic Ecclesiology of the Pseudo-Dionysius......Page 172
2. The Anonymous Dialogue On Political Science......Page 184
14. Platonopolis in Islam: Al-Farabi's Perfect State......Page 198
1. The Metaphysical Background......Page 200
2. The Best State as a Means for Reaching the Human Goal......Page 202
3. The Ruler(s) of the Best State......Page 204
4. Religion in the Best State......Page 207
5. Conclusion......Page 208
Conclusion......Page 211
Appendix I: Themistius and Neoplatonic Political Philosophy......Page 219
Appendix II: Notes on a Platonist Rhetor: Sopatros 3......Page 222
1. Ancient Authors......Page 226
2. Modern Authors......Page 229
D......Page 244
M......Page 245
P......Page 246
Z......Page 247
Index of Passages......Page 248
B......Page 250
D......Page 251
E......Page 252
I......Page 253
J......Page 254
O......Page 255
P......Page 256
S......Page 262