Iamblichus

Iamblichus, a Neoplatonist philosopher, a native of Chalcis, in Cœle-Syria, who died about 330 A.D. He was a pupil of Porphyry, and follower of Plotinus; but in his hands the Neoplatonist philosophy degenerated into theurgy and demonology, while among his disciples his reputation spread as a conjuror and miracle-worker. His writings included a life of Pythagoras, and treatises on mathematics and philosophy; the authenticity of the treatise on Egyptian mysteries (ed. Parthey, 1857) is more than dubious. See NEOPLATONISM.