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Olympiodorus the Younger (c. 495-570) was a Neoplatonist philosopher and teacher (and also an astrologer) who lived in the early years of the Byzantine Empire, after Justinian's Decree of 529 A.D. which closed Plato's Academy in Athens and other pagan schools. Olympiodorus was the last pagan to maintain the Platonist tradition in Alexandria (see Alexandrian School); after his death the School passed into the hands of Christian Aristotelians, and was eventually moved to Constantinople.

Life

Olympiodorus was the disciple of Ammonius Hermiae at the philosophy school in Alexandria, and succeeded him as its leader when Ammonius died c. 520. He was still teaching and writing in 565, because in his commentary on Aristotle's Meteorology, he mentions a comet that appeared that year. Olympiodorus himself was able to survive the persecution experienced by many of his peers (see, for example, Hierocles of Alexandria), possibly because the Alexandrian School was less involved in politics (for example, the attempts by the Emperor Julian to re-establish Mithraic cults) and also possibly because it was more scholastic and less religious than the Athenian Academy.

He is called Olympiodorus the Younger or The Younger Olympiodorus in contemporary references because there was an earlier (5th century) Peripatetic philosopher also called Olympiodorus (Olympiodorus the Elder) who also taught in Alexandria. This man was most well-known for being among the teachers of Proclus.

Writings

Among the extant writings of Olympiodorus the Younger are a biography of Plato, commentaries on several dialogues of Plato and on Aristotle, and an introduction to Aristotelian philosophy. Olympiodorus also provides information on the work of the earlier Neoplatonist Iamblichus which is not found elsewhere. The surviving works are:

• Commentary on Plato's Alcibiades
• Commentary on Plato's Gorgias
• Commentary on Plato's Phaedo
• Life of Plato
• Introduction (prolegomena) to Aristotle's logic
• Commentary on the Aristotle's Meteorology
• Commentary on the Aristotle's Categories

In addition, a Commentary by Olympiodorus is extant on Paulus Alexandrinus' Introduction to astrology (which was written in 378 AD). Although the manuscript of the Commentary is credited in two later versions to a Heliodorus, L.G. Westerink argues that it is actually the outline of a series of lectures given by Olympiodorus in Alexandria between May and July of 564 A.D. The Commentary is an informative expatiation of Paulus' tersely written text, elaborating on practices and sources. The Commentary also illuminates the developments in astrological theory in the 200 years after Paulus.

Spurious works

In addition there are two works ascribed to Olympiodorus, but which are now believed to be by other authors:

• An alchemical treatise concerning Zosimus' On Activity
• A commentary on Plato's Philebus - now thought to be the work of Damascius.

References

• Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olympiodorus (with the Scholia of later Latin Commentators). [Translated by Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum.] ARHAT [1], 2001.
• "Olympiodorus The Younger." Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9057064> [Accessed January 4, 2006].
• L.G. Westerink, "Ein astrologisches Kolleg aus dem Jahre 564," in Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 64, 1971, pp. 6-21.
• Bruce M. Metzger, “Ancient Astrological Geography and Acts 2:9-11," W. Ward Gasque & Ralph P. Martin, eds., Apostolic History and the Gospel. Biblical and Historical Essays Presented to F.F. Bruce. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 1970. Hbk. ISBN 0-85364-098-X. pp.123-133.
• Robert Schmidt, Project Hindsight -- [2]
• http://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism-history-of.htm
• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/philoponus/

External links

• Olympiodorus - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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