Neo Platonism

Neo-Platonism was the final outcome of Greek philosophy and religion, with an admixture of Oriental features. Greek philosophy, after reaching its full development in the systems of Plato and Aristotle, gradually declined, amidst the decay of ancient civilisation, which forced the individual back upon himself, the satisfaction of man's spiritual needs became the object of the schools rather than the explanation of the physical or intelligible world, and intellectual vigour gave place to religious sentiment. Neo-Platonism represents the last stage in this process, and it was also the latest attempt to reconcile the rites and doctrines of different religious and philosophical systems. The founder of Neo-Platonism proper is said to have been Ammonius Saccas, who lived at Alexandria in the first half of the 3rd century A.D. The first and most eminent writer of the school was Plotinus. Under his successors Porphyry (233-303) and Iamblichus (d. 330) the tendency to polytheism and superstition became more marked; and, in spite of the efforts of the Emperor Julian, who strove to make Neo-Platonism a world-religion which should be a rallying-point for the expiring energies of Paganism, it was unable to cope with the growing power of Christianity. The return to a higher and purer form of Neo-Platonism at Alexandria in the early part of the 5th century was brought to a close by the tumult which led to the murder of Hypatia. At Athens the school lingered on, even displaying fresh energy under Proclus, who reduced the teaching of all his predecessors to a complete system; but 44 years after his death the Athenian school was closed by Justinian (529). Through the works of Dionysius (q.v.) the Areopagite Neo-Platonic doctrines were handed on to the Middle Ages, and became the source of Christian Mysticism.