Page "Iamblichus" Paragraph 1

Iamblichus was the chief representative of Syrian Neoplatonism, though his influence spread over much of the ancient world.

The events of his life and his religious beliefs are not entirely known, but the main tenets of his beliefs can be worked out from his extant writings.

According to the Suda, and his biographer Eunapius, he was born at Chalcis ( modern Qinnasrin ) in Syria.

He was the son of a rich and illustrious family, and he is said to have been the descendant of several priest-kings of Royal family of Emesa.

He initially studied under Anatolius of Laodicea, and later went on to study under Porphyry, a pupil of Plotinus, the founder of Neoplatonism.

It was with Porphyry that he is known to have had a disagreement over the practice of theurgy, the criticisms of which Iamblichus responds to in his attributed De Mysteriis Aegyptiorum ( On the Egyptian Mysteries ).