(Κρόνιος; Krónios). [German version] [1] Platonist Platonist (Syranus, In Aristot. Metaph. 109,11) of the Pythagorizing tendency, mostly called a Pythagorean, (perhaps older) contemporary and friend (Porph. De anthro nympharum 21) of  Numenius, about the mid 2nd cent. AD. As a rule C. is only mentioned with him but frequently before him and generally shares his opinion. C. was read in the school of Plotin (Porph. Vita Pythagorica 14); he composed hypomnemata (ibid., probably no commentaries on whole w…

[German version] The Greek terms μετεμψύχωσις ( metempsýchōsis, literally 're-ensoulment'), μετενσωμάτωσις ( metensōmátōsis, 're-embodiment'), παλιγγενεσία ( palingenesía, 're-becoming') are not recorded in ancient sources before the 1st cent. BC (only the verbal phrase πάλιν γίγνεσθαι/ pálin gígnesthai is in Plato; the noun in the other sense, that of periodic world renewal, is documented in the older Stoa). However, the doctrine of the migration of the soul is demonstrably present in the Greek cultural sphere from the 2nd half o…

(Ἐμπεδοκλῆς; Empedoklês). [German version] [1] from Agrigentum Pre-Socratic Pre-Socratic (c. 490-430 BC). His most important works: the Nature poem ‘On the origins of the world’ (so-called Περὶ φύσεως, Perì phýseōs) and the ‘Purifications’ (Καθαρμοί, Katharmoí), both in epic hexameters. The following presentation distinguishes between the two works. [1; 2] argue for unity. Bollack, Jean (Paris) [German version] A. Sources A large part of our knowledge about E. depends on the quotations and comments in Plutarch's Moralia; his monograph is unfortunately lost. For the mos…

[German version] I. Concept Greek προοίμιον/ prooímion, (tragedy:) φροίμιον/ phroímion, Latin prooemium, prohoemium: 1) hymn to the gods (as an opening), 2) introductory section of a poem, 3) beginning of a speech, 4) introduction. As was already realized in Antiquity [8. 19], prooímion is etymologically related to οἴμη ( oímē, ‘song’, ‘story’, Hom. Od. 8,74; 8,481; 22,347) and οἶμος ( oȋmos, ‘stripe’, Hom. Il. 11,24; ‘path’ = ‘song’, H. Hom. 4,451 [4. s. v. οἴμη]). Gärtner, Hans Armin (Heidelberg) [German version] II. Greek literature 1) In Greek poetry, the so-called Homeric Hymns …

Ancient Greek and Latin philosophy was characterized not only by the fact that it formulated theories about the world and mankind; it also represented a way of life. Hence choosing to adhere to a certain philosophical school meant not so much the adopting a particular doctrine as it did the realization of a particular way of life [1; 2; 3; 4; 5] (cf. Sext. Emp. Adv. math. 9,178-180), i.e. living in a way that outsiders might regard strange and even absurd. This was often realized within the philosophical schools - communities in which teachers and pupils had daily contact with one another ( contu…

[German version] A. Term and subject matter The term eschatology (from the Greek ἔσχατος/ éschatos, ‘last’), initially a term for the ‘doctrine of last things’( tà éschata sc. prágmata) as the final part of all theological outlines of Christian dogma, is to be found first in the 17th cent. as a neologism coined by Protestant theologians (Ph. H. Friedlieb, 1644; A. Calow, 1655-1677), and after D. F. Schleiermacher it replaced the older title De novissimis. In fact, though, the question of the éschata (Sir 7,36; Orig. Perì archôn 1,6,1; GCS 22,78,21f.) had often been asked back …

(Πυθαγόρας/ Pythagóras). [German version] [1] Fictitious Spartan and adviser to Numa Pompilius Fictitious person, supposedly from Sparta, victor at the Olympic Games in 716 BC, emigrated to Italy where he became an adviser to king Numa Pompilius. It seems this person was constructed to establish a connection between P. [2] and Roman religion (Plut. Numa 1,2-3). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography F. Ollier, Pythagore de Sparta, REG 59/60, 1946/7, 139-149. [German version] [2] Philosopher, c. 600 BC Natural philosopher and charismatic teacher from the 6th and early 5th cent…

[German version] I. Earliest Evidence The earliest evidence for Orphism refers to texts or ritual activities. Calame, Claude (Lausanne) [German version] A. Texts (see II below). Earliest evidence for Orphic texts: Eur. Hipp. 952-954 = Orphica Fragmenta (= OF) T 213 Kern “(Hippolytus), who honours the smoke of many writings ( grámmata)”, under Orpheus as his master; Pl. Resp. 364e = OF 3: “a pile of books (bíbloi)”, attributed to Musaeus [1] and Orpheus and offered by charlatans and soothsayers to wealthy citizens. Calame, Claude (Lausanne) [German version] B. Ritual activity (see III …

[German version] I. Ancient East and Egypt A range of archaeological and textual sources from varied walks of life bear eloquent testimony to the intensity of the attempts of coming to term with death in ancient eastern cultures ( Burial and mourning rituals and the related cult of the  dead), as displayed in forms of  funerary architecture, burial objects and the extensive  funerary literature. As is evident from textual sources, this struggle occupied a large part of everyday human existence [5]. On …

Merkt, Andreas (Mainz) I. History of Theology (CT) [German version] A. Basic Concept (CT) The history of theology (HT) is that area of theological studies which examines the history of the development of theological ideas. The need for this study in the theory of Christianity arises principally from theological and anthropological considerations. First, according to Christian belief, God himself took on an historical form in Jesus of Nazareth; scholarly reflection on this religion demands, therefore, an hist…