Platonic Pythagoras: Platonism and Pythagoreanism in the Imperial Age is a scholarly work that examines the influence of Pythagorean thought and its integration into Platonic philosophy during the Imperial Roman period. The book explores the way in which the mystical, mathematical, and metaphysical teachings of Pythagoras were adapted and reshaped by later philosophers, particularly in the context of Neoplatonism and the broader intellectual currents of the Roman Empire.
The text delves into how key figures like Plato, Plotinus, and other Neoplatonists absorbed and synthesized Pythagorean ideas, especially concerning the nature of reality, the importance of mathematics in understanding the cosmos, and the role of the soul. It also investigates the evolving relationship between these philosophical schools and the imperial political landscape, shedding light on how their ideas were used to promote certain ideals of cosmic harmony, order, and imperial authority.
Additionally, the book looks at the impact of these philosophical movements on the development of later Western thought, particularly in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. By exploring the convergence of Platonic and Pythagorean traditions, it highlights how these two intellectual systems contributed to shaping metaphysical, mathematical, and ethical ideas that would resonate through Western philosophy for centuries.