Published by De Gruyter

Byzantinisches Archiv – Series Philosophica

ISSN: 2702-5535

e-ISSN 2702-5543

Overview
Volumes

Byzantinisches Archiv – Series Philosophica is dedicated to the new and rapidly growing field of research into Byzantine philosophical texts. It considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research on Byzantine philosophy based on solid philological and historical foundations. Its aim is to publish conference volumes, monographs and critical editions. Each volume is written and edited by leading scholars in the field. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.

Editor in Chief: Sergei Mariev (Munich). Editorial Board: John Demetracopoulos (Patras), Jozef Matula (Olomouc), John Monfasani (Albany), Inmaculada Pérez Martín (Madrid), Brigitte Tambrun-Krasker (Paris)

Topics

Book Ahead of Publication 2025

Byzantium – Philosophy, Theology and Science

Studies ›in memoriam‹ Linos G. Benakis

John A. Demetracopoulos

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This is a collective volume with original studies on Byzantine philosophy, theology, and science in memoriam of Linos G. Benakis (ob. 2022), a pioneer in the study of Byzantine philosophy. Following the lines of Benakis’ research, which are nowadays taken for granted, the studies include critical editions of short Byzantine texts, offer a specific analysis of Byzantine philosophical ideas as in principle distinct from, but also contributing to, theology and a specific analysis of Byzantine texts of science. They also shed new light on the ancient Greek and Scholastic sources of Byzantine philosophical and theological writings.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.0000/9783111321554
ISBN:: 9783111321554
ISBN:: 9783111310008
ISBN:: 9783111321585
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book 2023

Liber Defensionum contra Obiectiones in Platonem

Cardinal Bessarion’s Own Latin Translation of His Greek Defense of Plato against George of Trebizond

Bessarion, John Monfasani

Volume 6 in this series

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In 1458 George of Trebizond transferred the Plato-Aristotle controversy from the Byzantine world to the Latin by publishing his Comparatio Philosophorum Platonis et Aristotelis et Praestantia Aristotelis, a full-scale attack on Plato and the Platonic tradition from antiquity to the present day, ending with a violent diatribe on the dangers posed by the influence of Cardinal Bessarion’s recently deceased teacher, George Gemistus Pletho. To respond, Bessarion knew that he would have to do so in Latin, but in actuality, he composed his response in Greek and then translated it into Latin. The result was the Liber Defensionum contra Obiectiones in Platonem, which was ready for publication by 1466. At that point, however, he withdrew it from publication in order to expand its content as well as to refine its Latinity. Bessarion’s response finally appeared in 1469 as the In Calumniatorem Platonis. But it was in the Liber Defensionum that Bessarion made his major decisions on what to include as well as what to exclude from his original Greek text and exactly how he would render the Greek into Latin. Thus, to understand the language and structure of the In Calumniatorem Platonis one must turn first to the Liber Defensionum.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111250137
ISBN:: 9783111250137
ISBN:: 9783111246352
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book Ahead of Publication 2025

In Calumniatorem Platonis V

Editio princeps of Greek and Latin Versions

Bessarion, Sergei Mariev

Volume 5 in this series

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Bessarion (1408-1472) was the foremost authority on Byzantine philosophy during the 15th century. His major philosophical work, the In Calumniatorem Platonis, was written and published in Italy more than a decade after the fall of Byzantium. This work is of paramount importance to our understanding of Byzantine philosophical traditions and the history of their dissemination in the West. In spite of its significance, only books 1-4 and 6 have previously been accessible to scholars as a critical text. The present volume contains the editio princeps of both the Latin and Greek versions of the fifth book. The „Translationis Legum Platonis examinatio et errorum eius declaratio“, as it is entitled in Latin, is Bessarion’s learned review of the Latin translation of Plato’s Laws made by George of Trebizond. Bessarion, a student of Plethon and himself a translator of the Metaphysics of Aristotle into Latin, takes here an in-depth look at George’s translation, exposing a large number of mistranslated passages, omissions and distortions. Bessarion’s review is an impressive testimony to his efforts to promulgate knowledge of Platonic philosophy among Western scholars.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.0000/9783110756968
ISBN:: 9783110756968
ISBN:: 9783110756005
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: Philosophy
Subject:: History of Philosophy
Subject:: Medieval Philosophy
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book 2022

Translation Activity in Late Byzantine World

Contexts, Authors, and Texts

Panagiotis Athanasopoulos

Volume 4 in this series

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During the late Byzantine period (1261-1453), a significant number of texts were translated from Latin, but also from Arabic and other languages, into Greek. Most of them are still unedited or available in editions that do not meet the modern academic criteria. Nowadays, these translations are attracting scholarly attention, as it is widely recognized that, besides their philological importance per se, they can shed light on the cultural interactions between late Byzantines and their neighbours or predecessors. To address this desideratum, this volume focuses on the cultural context, the translators and the texts produced during the Palaeologan era, extending as well till the end of 15th c. in ex-Byzantine territories. By shedding light on the translation activity of late Byzantine scholars, this volume aims at revealing the cultural aspect of late Byzantine openness to its neighbours.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110677089
ISBN:: 9783110677089
ISBN:: 9783110677003
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book 2021

Bessarion’s Treasure

Editing, Translating and Interpreting Bessarion’s Literary Heritage

Sergei Mariev

Volume 3 in this series

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The importance of Bessarion's contribution to the history of Byzantine and Renaissance philosophy and culture during the 15th century is beyond dispute. However, an adequate appreciation of his contribution still remains a desideratum of scholarly research. One serious impediment to scholarly progress is the fact that the critical edition of his main philosophical work "In Calumniatorem Platonis" is incomplete and that this work has not been translated in its entirety into any modern language yet. Same can be stated about several minor but equally important treatises on literary, theological and philosophical subjects. This makes editing, translating and interpreting his literary, religious and philosophical works a scholarly priority. Papers assembled in this volume highlight a number of philological, philosophical and historical aspects that are crucial to our understanding of Bessarion's role in the history of European civilization and to setting the directions of future research in this field.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110683035
ISBN:: 9783110683035
ISBN:: 9783110683127
ISBN:: 9783110601800
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: Philosophy
Subject:: History of Philosophy
Subject:: Medieval Philosophy
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book 2017

Never the Twain Shall Meet?

Latins and Greeks learning from each other in Byzantium

Denis Michael Searby

Volume 2 in this series

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This volume explores the theme of Latin and Greek mutual learning, intellectual and cultural interchange in the final age of Byzantium (1261-1453), challenging received conceptions of East and West as clearly delineated ideological categories. The reception of Thomas Aquinas and Western scholasticism receives emphasis, but also other forms of philosophical and theological frames of reference that have had lasting repercussions.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110561074
ISBN:: 9783110561074
ISBN:: 9783110559583
ISBN:: 9783110559736
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: History
Subject:: Historical Periods
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Publisher:: De Gruyter

Book 2017

Byzantine Perspectives on Neoplatonism

Sergei Mariev

Volume 1 in this series

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Byzantine intellectuals not only had direct access to Neoplatonic sources in the original language but also, at times, showed a particular interest in them. During the Early Byzantine period Platonism significantly contributed to the development of Christian doctrines and, paradoxically, remained a rival world view that was perceived by many Christian thinkers as a serious threat to their own intellectual identity. This problematic relationship was to become even more complex during the following centuries. Byzantine authors made numerous attempts to harmonize Neoplatonic doctrines with Christianity as well as to criticize, refute and even condemn them. The papers assembled in this volume discuss a number of specific questions and concerns that drew the interest of Byzantine scholars in different periods towards Neoplatonic sources in an attempt to identify and explore the central issues in the reception of Neoplatonic texts during the Byzantine era. This is the first volume of the sub-series "Byzantinisches Archiv - Series Philosophica", which will be dedicated to the rapidly growing field of research in Byzantine philosophical texts.

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501503597
ISBN:: 9781501503597
ISBN:: 9781501511677
ISBN:: 9781501503634
Subject:: Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Subject:: Byzantine Studies
Subject:: Philosophy
Subject:: History of Philosophy
Subject:: Ancient Philosophy
Publisher:: De Gruyter