Aeneas of Gaza facts for kids
Aeneas of Gaza (died around 518 AD) was an important thinker from ancient times. He was a philosopher who followed a school of thought called Neo-Platonism. He later became a Christian. He lived in the late 400s and early 500s AD.
Aeneas mentioned Hierocles of Alexandria as his teacher in one of his writings called Theophrastus. He also wrote letters that talked about other writers of his time, like Procopius of Gaza. Aeneas was part of the Rhetorical School of Gaza, a group of important thinkers who lived in Byzantine Palaestina during the 400s and 500s AD.
A Philosopher's Beliefs
Like other Christian Neo-Platonists, Aeneas thought Plato was a more important philosopher than Aristotle. He believed that Neo-Platonism, a way of thinking based on Plato's ideas, fit well with Christian teachings.
However, Aeneas disagreed with some key Neo-Platonist ideas because they didn't match Christian beliefs.
The Soul and Body
For example, he did not believe in the idea of "pre-existence." This idea suggested that a person's soul existed before it joined with their body. Aeneas argued that if the soul existed alone before the body, it would have been "idle" or unable to do anything. He believed the soul needed the body to use its abilities.
The World's Beginning and End
Aeneas also did not believe that the world would last forever. He thought that because the world is made of physical things, it must eventually break down. Even though he saw the world as a very well-made "machine," he believed it contained parts that would lead to its end.
He also taught that a person's body is made of "matter" and "form." He believed that while the "matter" (the physical parts) of the body might die, the "form" of the body would keep the power to bring the "matter" back to life on the "last day." This idea connected his philosophical views with Christian beliefs about resurrection.
See also
In Spanish: Eneas de Gaza para niños
- The Gaza Triad
- Neoplatonism and Christianity
- The Rhetorical School of Gaza
