Ammonius Hermiae (/əˈmoʊniəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀμμώνιος ὁ Ἑρμείου, romanized: Ammōnios ho Hermeiou, lit. 'Ammonius, son of Hermias'; c. 440 – between 517 and 526) was a Greek philosopher from Alexandria in the eastern Roman empire during Late Antiquity. A Neoplatonist, he was the son of the philosophers Hermias and Aedesia, the brother of Heliodorus of Alexandria and the grandson of Syrianus. Ammonius was a pupil of Proclus in Roman Athens, and taught at Alexandria for most of his life, having obtained a public chair in the 470s.
Ammonius Hermiae | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 440 AD Alexandria |
| Died | 517–526 AD |
| Family | Hermias (father) Aedesia (mother) Heliodorus of Alexandria (brother) |
| School | Neoplatonism |
According to Olympiodorus of Thebes's Commentaries on Plato's Gorgias and Phaedo texts, Ammonius gave lectures on the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Porphyry of Tyre, and wrote commentaries on Aristotelian works and three lost commentaries on Platonic texts. He is also the author of a text on the astrolabe published in the Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum, and lectured on astronomy and geometry. Ammonius taught numerous Neoplatonists, including Damascius, Olympiodorus of Thebes, John Philoponus, Simplicius of Cilicia, and Asclepius of Tralles. Also among his pupils were the physician Gessius of Petra and the ecclesiastical historian Zacharias Rhetor, who became the bishop of Mytilene.
As part of the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire, the Alexandrian school was investigated by the Roman imperial authorities; Ammonius made a compromise with the Patriarch of Alexandria, Peter III, voluntarily limiting his teaching in return for keeping his own position. This alienated a number of his colleagues and pupils, including Damascius, who nonetheless called him "the greatest commentator who ever lived" in his own Life of Isidore of Alexandria.
Life
Ammonius' father Hermias died when he was a child, and his mother Aedesia raised him and his brother Heliodorus in Alexandria. When they reached adulthood, Aedesia accompanied her sons to Athens where they studied under Proclus. Eventually, they returned to Alexandria where Ammonius, as head of the Neoplatonist school in the city, lectured on Plato and Aristotle for the rest of his life. According to Damascius, during the persecution of the pagans at Alexandria in the late 480s, Ammonius made concessions to the Christian authorities so that he could continue his lectures. Damascius, who scolds Ammonius for the agreement that he made, does not say what the concessions were, but they may have involved limitations on the doctrines he could teach or promote. He was still teaching in 515; Olympiodorus heard him lecture on Plato's Gorgias in that year. He was also an accomplished astronomer; he lectured on Ptolemy and is known to have written a treatise on the astrolabe.
Writings
Of his reputedly numerous writings, only his commentary on Aristotle's De Interpretatione survives intact. A commentary on Porphyry's Isagoge may also be his, but it is somewhat corrupt and contains later interpolations.
In De Interpretatione, Ammonius contends that divine foreknowledge makes void the contingent. Like Boethius in his second Commentary and in The Consolation of Philosophy, this argument maintains the effectiveness of prayer. Ammonius cites Iamblichus, who said "knowledge is intermediate between the knower and the known, since it is the activity of the knower concerning the known."
In addition, there are some notes of Ammonius' lectures written by various students which also survive:
- On Aristotle's Categories (anonymous writer)
- On Aristotle's Prior Analytics I (anonymous writer)
- On Aristotle's Metaphysics 1–7 (written by Asclepius)
- On Nicomachus' Introduction to Arithmetic (written by Asclepius)
- On Aristotle's Prior Analytics (written by John Philoponus)
- On Aristotle's Posterior Analytics (written by John Philoponus)
- On Aristotle's On Generation and Corruption (written by John Philoponus)
- On Aristotle's On the Soul (written by John Philoponus)
There is Greek-language work called Life of Aristotle, which is usually ascribed to Ammonius, but "is more probable that it is the work of Joannes Philoponus, the pupil of Ammonius, to whom it is ascribed in some MSS."
English translations
- Ammonius: On Aristotle Categories, translated by S. M. Cohen and G. B. Matthews. London and Ithaca 1992.
- Ammonius: On Aristotle's On Interpretation 1–8, translated by D. Blank. London and Ithaca 1996.
- Ammonius: On Aristotle's On Interpretation 9, with Boethius: On Aristotle's On Interpretation 9, translated by D. Blank (Ammonius) and N. Kretzmann (Boethius). London and Ithaca 1998
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On Coming-to-be and Perishing 1.1–5, translated by C. J. F. Williams. London and Ithaca 1999
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On Coming-to-be and Perishing 1.6–2.4, translated by C. J. F. Williams. London and Ithaca 1999.
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On the Soul 2.1–6, translated by W. Charlton. London and Ithaca 2005
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On the Soul 2.7–12, translated by W. Charlton. London and Ithaca 2005
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On the Soul 3.1–8, translated by W. Charlton. London and Ithaca 2000
- John Philoponus: On Aristotle On the Intellect (de Anima 3.4–8), translated by W. Charlton. London and Ithaca 1991.
Notes
- Jackson, Robin; Lycos, Kimon; Tarrant, Harold (1998). Olympiodorus: Commentary on Plato's Gorgias. Leidon, The Netherlands: Brill. p. 2. ISBN 90-04-10972-2.
- Watts, Edward J. (2018), Nicholson, Oliver (ed.), "Ammonius", The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-866277-8, retrieved 2020-10-15
- Damascius, Philosophos Historia, 118B, Athanassiadi
- Olympiodorus, in Gorgias, 199, 8–10
- Medieval Philosophy and the Classical Tradition, Curzon Press, John Inglis, 2002, pg. 128.
- Tempelis, Elias (1997). "Iamblichus and the School of Ammonius, Son of Hermias, On Divine Omniscience". Syllecta Classica. 8 (1): 207–217. doi:10.1353/syl.1997.0005. ISSN 2160-5157.
- Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, The biographical dictionary of the Society for the diffusion of useful knowledge, Volume 2, Part 2, Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1843, p. 487.
References
- Andron, Cosmin. "Ammonios of Alexandria",The Routledge Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists, eds. Georgia Irby-Massie and Paul T. Keyser, New York: Routledge, 2008.
- Jones, A., Martindale, J., Morris, J. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992, pages 71–72.
- Karamanolis, George E. Plato and Aristotle in agreement? : Platonists on Aristotle from Antiochus to Porphyry, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
- Merlan, Phillip (1970). "Ammonius, Son of Hermias". Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol. 1. New York: CharlesScribner's Sons. p. 137. ISBN 0-684-10114-9.
- Seel, Gerhard (ed.), Ammonius and the Seabattle. Texts, Commentary, and Essays, in collaboration with Jean-Pierre Schneider and Daniel Schulthess; Ammonius on Aristotle: De interpretatione 9 (and 7, 1–17) Greek text established by A. Busse, philosophical commentary by Gerhard Seel; essays by Mario Mignucci and Gerhard Seel, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2001.
- Sorabji, Richard. The Philosophy of the Commentators, 200–600 AD. A Sourcebook, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2005.
- Verrycken, Koenraad. The Metaphysics of Ammonius son of Hermias, in Richard Sorabji (ed.), Aristotle Transformed. The Ancient Commentators and their Influence, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1990, p. 199-231.
External links
- Blank, David. "Ammonius". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca, Vol. 4 parts 2–6, Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin, Edita consilio et auctoritate Academiae litterarum regiae borussicae (1882).
Ammonius Hermiae e ˈ m oʊ n i e s Ancient Greek Ἀmmwnios ὁ Ἑrmeioy romanized Ammōnios ho Hermeiou lit Ammonius son of Hermias c 440 between 517 and 526 was a Greek philosopher from Alexandria in the eastern Roman empire during Late Antiquity A Neoplatonist he was the son of the philosophers Hermias and Aedesia the brother of Heliodorus of Alexandria and the grandson of Syrianus Ammonius was a pupil of Proclus in Roman Athens and taught at Alexandria for most of his life having obtained a public chair in the 470s Ammonius HermiaeBornc 440 AD AlexandriaDied517 526 ADFamilyHermias father Aedesia mother Heliodorus of Alexandria brother SchoolNeoplatonism According to Olympiodorus of Thebes s Commentaries on Plato s Gorgias and Phaedo texts Ammonius gave lectures on the works of Plato Aristotle and Porphyry of Tyre and wrote commentaries on Aristotelian works and three lost commentaries on Platonic texts He is also the author of a text on the astrolabe published in the Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum and lectured on astronomy and geometry Ammonius taught numerous Neoplatonists including Damascius Olympiodorus of Thebes John Philoponus Simplicius of Cilicia and Asclepius of Tralles Also among his pupils were the physician Gessius of Petra and the ecclesiastical historian Zacharias Rhetor who became the bishop of Mytilene As part of the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire the Alexandrian school was investigated by the Roman imperial authorities Ammonius made a compromise with the Patriarch of Alexandria Peter III voluntarily limiting his teaching in return for keeping his own position This alienated a number of his colleagues and pupils including Damascius who nonetheless called him the greatest commentator who ever lived in his own Life of Isidore of Alexandria LifeAmmonius father Hermias died when he was a child and his mother Aedesia raised him and his brother Heliodorus in Alexandria When they reached adulthood Aedesia accompanied her sons to Athens where they studied under Proclus Eventually they returned to Alexandria where Ammonius as head of the Neoplatonist school in the city lectured on Plato and Aristotle for the rest of his life According to Damascius during the persecution of the pagans at Alexandria in the late 480s Ammonius made concessions to the Christian authorities so that he could continue his lectures Damascius who scolds Ammonius for the agreement that he made does not say what the concessions were but they may have involved limitations on the doctrines he could teach or promote He was still teaching in 515 Olympiodorus heard him lecture on Plato s Gorgias in that year He was also an accomplished astronomer he lectured on Ptolemy and is known to have written a treatise on the astrolabe WritingsFirst page of the first edition of the Isagoge commentary Venice 1500 Of his reputedly numerous writings only his commentary on Aristotle s De Interpretatione survives intact A commentary on Porphyry s Isagoge may also be his but it is somewhat corrupt and contains later interpolations In De Interpretatione Ammonius contends that divine foreknowledge makes void the contingent Like Boethius in his second Commentary and in The Consolation of Philosophy this argument maintains the effectiveness of prayer Ammonius cites Iamblichus who said knowledge is intermediate between the knower and the known since it is the activity of the knower concerning the known In addition there are some notes of Ammonius lectures written by various students which also survive On Aristotle s Categories anonymous writer On Aristotle s Prior Analytics I anonymous writer On Aristotle s Metaphysics 1 7 written by Asclepius On Nicomachus Introduction to Arithmetic written by Asclepius On Aristotle s Prior Analytics written by John Philoponus On Aristotle s Posterior Analytics written by John Philoponus On Aristotle s On Generation and Corruption written by John Philoponus On Aristotle s On the Soul written by John Philoponus There is Greek language work called Life of Aristotle which is usually ascribed to Ammonius but is more probable that it is the work of Joannes Philoponus the pupil of Ammonius to whom it is ascribed in some MSS English translationsAmmonius On Aristotle Categories translated by S M Cohen and G B Matthews London and Ithaca 1992 Ammonius On Aristotle s On Interpretation 1 8 translated by D Blank London and Ithaca 1996 Ammonius On Aristotle s On Interpretation 9 with Boethius On Aristotle s On Interpretation 9 translated by D Blank Ammonius and N Kretzmann Boethius London and Ithaca 1998 John Philoponus On Aristotle On Coming to be and Perishing 1 1 5 translated by C J F Williams London and Ithaca 1999 John Philoponus On Aristotle On Coming to be and Perishing 1 6 2 4 translated by C J F Williams London and Ithaca 1999 John Philoponus On Aristotle On the Soul 2 1 6 translated by W Charlton London and Ithaca 2005 John Philoponus On Aristotle On the Soul 2 7 12 translated by W Charlton London and Ithaca 2005 John Philoponus On Aristotle On the Soul 3 1 8 translated by W Charlton London and Ithaca 2000 John Philoponus On Aristotle On the Intellect de Anima 3 4 8 translated by W Charlton London and Ithaca 1991 NotesJackson Robin Lycos Kimon Tarrant Harold 1998 Olympiodorus Commentary on Plato s Gorgias Leidon The Netherlands Brill p 2 ISBN 90 04 10972 2 Watts Edward J 2018 Nicholson Oliver ed Ammonius The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 acref 9780198662778 001 0001 ISBN 978 0 19 866277 8 retrieved 2020 10 15 Damascius Philosophos Historia 118B Athanassiadi Olympiodorus in Gorgias 199 8 10 Medieval Philosophy and the Classical Tradition Curzon Press John Inglis 2002 pg 128 Tempelis Elias 1997 Iamblichus and the School of Ammonius Son of Hermias On Divine Omniscience Syllecta Classica 8 1 207 217 doi 10 1353 syl 1997 0005 ISSN 2160 5157 Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge The biographical dictionary of the Society for the diffusion of useful knowledge Volume 2 Part 2 Longman Brown Green and Longmans 1843 p 487 ReferencesAndron Cosmin Ammonios of Alexandria The Routledge Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists eds Georgia Irby Massie and Paul T Keyser New York Routledge 2008 Jones A Martindale J Morris J The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1992 pages 71 72 Karamanolis George E Plato and Aristotle in agreement Platonists on Aristotle from Antiochus to Porphyry New York Oxford University Press 2006 Merlan Phillip 1970 Ammonius Son of Hermias Dictionary of Scientific Biography Vol 1 New York CharlesScribner s Sons p 137 ISBN 0 684 10114 9 Seel Gerhard ed Ammonius and the Seabattle Texts Commentary and Essays in collaboration with Jean Pierre Schneider and Daniel Schulthess Ammonius on Aristotle De interpretatione 9 and 7 1 17 Greek text established by A Busse philosophical commentary by Gerhard Seel essays by Mario Mignucci and Gerhard Seel Berlin Walter de Gruyter 2001 Sorabji Richard The Philosophy of the Commentators 200 600 AD A Sourcebook Ithaca Cornell University Press 2005 Verrycken Koenraad The Metaphysics of Ammonius son of Hermias in Richard Sorabji ed Aristotle Transformed The Ancient Commentators and their Influence Ithaca Cornell University Press 1990 p 199 231 External linksBlank David Ammonius In Zalta Edward N ed Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca Vol 4 parts 2 6 Akademie der Wissenschaften Berlin Edita consilio et auctoritate Academiae litterarum regiae borussicae 1882
