Iamblichus

• an Arabian emir, Cic. Fam. 15, 1, 2.

(Ἰάμβλιχος). (1) A Syrian who lived in the time of the emperor Trajan. He wrote in Greek a romance called Βαβυλωνικά on the loves of Rhodané and Sinonis, which is now lost, though an epitome of it is given by Photius. (See Novels and Romances.)

(2) A NeoPlatonic philosopher, a native of Chalcis in CoeleSyria. He died about A.D. 330. He was a pupil of Porphyry and a follower of Plotinus; but pushing their teachings to the point of absurdity, became a mere charlatan and impostor, seeking the reputation of a magician and wonder-worker. His writings include (i.) a life of Pythagoras (Περὶ τοῦ Πυθαγορικοῦ Βίου) in ten books, of which four parts are extant, edited by Nauck (1884); (ii.) a work on mathematics (Περὶ Κοινῆς Μαθηματικῆς Ἐπιστήμης), edited by Friès (1790); (iii.) two treatises on mystical arithmetic (Περὶ Νικομάχου Ἀριθμητικῆς Εἰσαγωγῆς and Τὰ Θεολογούμενα τῆς Ἀριθμητικῆς), the latter edited by Ast (1817); (iv.) a treatise on the Egyptian mysteries (Περὶ Μυστηρίων), and intending to prove their divine origin, edited by Parthey (1857); and (v.) a sort of introduction to the study of Plato (Προτρεπτικοὶ Λόγοι εἰς Φιλοσοφίαν), edited by Kiessling (1813). The treatise on the mysteries and those on arithmetic are possibly not the work of Iamblichus. On the De Mysteriis, see Harles, Das Buch von d. ägypt. Myst. (Munich, 1858). It has been rendered into English by Thomas Taylor with the life of Pythagoras (2d ed. Chiswick, 1821). The best account of Iamblichus will be found in Zeller, Philosophie der Griechen, iii. 2, pp. 613 foll. in the second edition; and in Vacherot, Histoire Critique de l'École d'Alexandrie, ii. pp. 57 foll. (Paris, 1851).