Priscian ofLydia (orPriscianus;Ancient Greek:Πρισκιανὸς ὁ ΛυδόςPrīskiānós ho Lȳdós;Latin:Priscianus Lydus; fl. 6th century), was one of the last of theNeoplatonists. Two works of his have survived.
A contemporary ofSimplicius of Cilicia, Priscian was born inLydia, probably in the late 5th century. He was one of the lastNeoplatonists to study at theAcademy whenDamascius was at its head. WhenJustinian I closed the school in 529, Priscian, together with Damascius, Simplicius, and four other colleagues were forced to seek asylum in the court of thePersian kingChosroes.[1] By 533 they were allowed back into theByzantine Empire after Justinian and Chosroes concluded a peace treaty, in which it was provided that the philosophers would be allowed to return.[1]
Two works of Priscian's have survived:
TheAnswers to Chosroes contain a series of answers to philosophical questions which were apparently posed to Priscian in a debate at thePersian court during his exile. The text exists only in a late, corrupt Latin translation.[2][3][4] Priscian mentions:Plato'sTimaeus,Phaedo andPhaedrus;Aristotle'sPolitics,Physics,On the Heavens,Generation and Corruption,On Dreams andOn Prophesying by Dreams;Hippocrates,Strabo's Geography,Ptolemy'sAlmagest,Iamblichus' On the Soul and the works ofPlotinus andProclus. The list is a catalog ofNeoplatonic works oncosmology andnatural history.
It has also been suggested that the commentary onAristotle'sOn the Soul attributed to Simplicius, was written by Priscian,[5] but this is disputed.[6]
