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Philo’s Therapeutai: Philosopher’s Dream or Utopian Construction?
Abstract
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.
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Research works printed but not linked: 11
- Colson, F.H., 1985, Philo
- 10.1163/157006399X00136 · DOI
- Ferguson, J., 1975, Utopias of the Classical World
- Herzler, J.O., 1976, The History of Utopian Thought
- Manuel, F.E., 1999, Utopian Thought in the Western World
- Mendels, D., 1998, Identity, Religion and Historiography: Studies in Hellenistic History
- Oldfather, C.H., 1935, Diodorus of Sicily
- 10.1017/S0017816000006416 · DOI · Paper page
- Thackeray, H.St.J., 1976, Josephus: The Life, Against Apion
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Best practice. Religious reformation in Philo’s representation of the Therapeutae and Therapeutrides
Standhartinger, A. (2017) · Beyond Priesthood · doi:10.1515/9783110448184-006 · Cited by 3
Metadata
- Authors
- Beavis, M. A.
- Affiliations
- St. Thomas More College (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Beavis, Mary Ann
- ORCID
- Beavis, Mary Ann
- Venue
- Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-01
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 30-42
- ISSN
- 0951-8207 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-5286
- OpenAlex
- W2140049505
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 24 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 5.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Biblical Studies and Interpretation
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Classical Philosophy and Thought
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Classics › Classical Antiquity Studies
- Keywords
- Philo of Alexandria, De vita contemplativa, Therapeutae, utopia, Diodorus Siculus, Jewish pseudepigrapha
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- Beavis, M. A. (2004). Philo’s Therapeutai: Philosopher’s Dream or Utopian Construction? Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. https://doi.org/10.1177/095182070401400102
