Philo’s Therapeutai: Philosopher’s Dream or Utopian Construction?

This article takes issue, on rhetorical and geographical grounds, with Engberg-Pedersen’s (1999) argument that Philo’s De Vita Contemplativa is a ‘philosopher’s dream’. Further, it is argued that while Philo’s description of the Therapeutai/Therapeutrides is shaped by Hellenistic utopian conventions...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Beavis, Mary Ann 1955- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2004
In: Journal for the study of the pseudepigrapha
Year: 2004, Volume: 14, Issue: 1, Pages: 30-42
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Summary:This article takes issue, on rhetorical and geographical grounds, with Engberg-Pedersen’s (1999) argument that Philo’s De Vita Contemplativa is a ‘philosopher’s dream’. Further, it is argued that while Philo’s description of the Therapeutai/Therapeutrides is shaped by Hellenistic utopian conventions, particularly Iambulus’ account of the Islands of the Sun (Diodorus Siculus 2.55-60), Philo’s account is sober and realistic enough to suggest that he was describing a real community of Jewish contemplatives of which he had direct knowledge.
ISSN:1745-5286
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the pseudepigrapha
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/095182070401400102