Joel Kalvesmaki

Iamblichus, a philosopher from Syria, was a prominent figure in Neoplatonism who lived around the late 3rd and early 4th centuries CE. He established a school in Apamea and developed a complex philosophical system that built upon Plotinus' ideas. Iamblichus is noted for his integration of Pythagorean number symbolism, his mystical interpretations of Neoplatonic concepts, and his detailed cosmology.

His philosophical contributions included a systematic approach to number symbolism and the incorporation of mythical elements into Neoplatonic thought. He expanded on Plotinus' cosmology by positing a more intricate hierarchy of divine entities, including gods, angels, and demons, all emanating from a supreme Monad. Iamblichus also reasserted the soul's connection to matter, viewing matter as divine, a departure from some earlier Neoplatonists.

Beyond his philosophical writings, Iamblichus was also recognized for his work as a biographer, notably of Pythagoras, and for preserving significant portions of otherwise lost texts, such as those by the sophist known as Anonymus Iamblichi. His influence was considerable, with later thinkers and even emperors like Julian holding him in high regard.

Iamblichus refined the formal divisions of Neoplatonism established by Plotinus, applying Pythagorean number symbolism with greater systematic rigor and interpreting concepts through a mythical lens, influenced by Eastern traditions. He diverged from Plotinus by affirming the soul's embodiment in matter, considering matter itself to be divine. His cosmology began with the Monad, from which emanated the Nous and psyche. He elaborated on the Nous, distinguishing between the intelligible and intellective spheres, and possibly introduced a mediating third sphere. Iamblichus proposed a vast hierarchy of divine beings, including numerous gods, angels, and demons, all descending from the Monad to the material world. He believed these entities influenced natural events and could be accessed through prayer and offerings. Iamblichus also posited that numbers hold an independent existence, bridging the finite and infinite, and viewed fate as a principle governing nature, while divine things transcended it.

Born in Chalcis, Syria, into a distinguished lineage, Iamblichus studied under Anatolius of Laodicea and Porphyry. He later established his own influential school in Apamea around 304 CE, developing a curriculum for the study of Plato and Aristotle and writing commentaries on their works, though only fragments survive. His supreme authority was Pythagoras, on whom he wrote an extensive ten-volume work, with only parts now extant. Known for his learning, charity, and self-denial, Iamblichus attracted many students. His philosophical and theological system had a profound impact, shaping the future direction of Neoplatonism. Emperor Julian, among others, held him in immense esteem, considering him second only to Plato.

A significant aspect of Iamblichus' legacy lies in his role as a preserver of ancient knowledge. His work, the Protrepticus, is invaluable for scholars of sophistry as it contains approximately ten pages from an otherwise unknown sophist, referred to as Anonymus Iamblichi. He also authored a biography of the mystic and mathematician Pythagoras. While much of his vast literary output is lost, knowledge of his philosophical system survives through fragments preserved by later scholars like Stobaeus and Proclus, as well as through his extant works and sections of his writings on Pythagoreanism. He is also credited with the work "On the Mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians," also known as "The Theurgia."