HPhil Seminar: May 22, 2025
The HPhil (History of Philosophy) Research Group of the Centre of Philosophy of the University of Lisbon announces the 2024/25 edition of its permanent seminar on the history of philosophy, devoted to the presentation of conferences by renowned specialists while also creating opportunities to emerging scholars, aiming to promote advanced studies in groundbreaking debates and the permanent training of its academic community.
In this session of the seminar, Valentina Calzoari (University of Geneva) will present a paper, entitled “The Reception of Neoplatonism in Ancient and Medieval Armenia”. (abstract below)
The session will take place on May 22, 2025 at 5 p.m., in the Room C201.J (Room Mattos Romão, Department of Philosophy). Admission is free.
Abstract
My lecture will stress the role of the Armenian translations of Neoplatonic Greek works in Armenia over the centuries. Special emphasis will be placed on the production and the reception of the Armenian translations of the Aristotelian corpus – an essential component of the Neoplatonic curriculum –, including the commentaries of David, who taught at the Neoplatonic school of Alexandria in the sixth century and who, according to the Armenian tradition, was Armenian.
This topic opens the possibility to cross several boundaries, geographical, historical, and political, and to address four main issues: 1) the ways which allowed the Armenians to meet, read, translate, and then disseminate in their language Aristotelian texts studied in the Neoplatonic School of Alexandria;
2) the pioneering task of the Armenian translators themselves, whose efforts laid the foundations of Armenian philosophy; 3) the impact of this philosophical literature in the Armenian centres of learning in the Middle Ages and in the Early modern period; 4) the construction of the legend of David in the Armenian tradition, and its contribution to the fashioning of Armenian identity, both cultural and national ̶ a contribution which endured to the end of the nineteenth century. The importance of the Armenian translations for the philological restitution of the Greek original texts will also be emphasized.
