Plato's Academy Its Workings and its History

The Academy was a philosophical school established by Plato that safeguarded the continuity and the evolution of Platonism over a period of about 300 years. Its contribution to the development of Hellenistic philosophical and scientific thinking was decisive, but it also had a major impact on the formation of most of the other philosophical trends emerging during this period. This volume surveys the evidence for the historical and social setting in which the Academy operated, as well as the various shifts in the philosophical outlook of Platonism during its existence. Its contribution to the evolution of special sciences such as mathematics is also examined. The book further includes the first complete annotated translation in English of Philodemus' History of the Academy, preserved on a papyrus from Herculaneum. It thus offers a comprehensive picture of one of the most prominent and influential of all educational institutions in ancient Greece.

1. Introduction Paul Kalligas; 2. In the shadow of Athena Polias: the divinities of the Academy, polites' training and death in service to Athens Daniela Marchiandi; 3. Observations on the topography of ancient Academia Manolis Panayiotopoulos and Tania Chatziefthimiou; 4. The gymnasium of the Academy and the School of Plato Eutychia Lygouri-Tolia; 5. The Academy in Athenian politics and society – between disintegration and integration: the first eighty years (387/6–306/5) Matthias Haake; 6. Plato in the Academy: some cautious reflections John Glucker; 7. Plato and the mathematics of the Academy Vassilis Karasmanis; 8. Euclid of Alexandria: a child of the Academy? Michalis Sialaros; 9. The study of natural kinds in the Academy István Bodnár; 10. 'Appropriation' of Pythagoreanism in the early Academy: the case of Xenocrates of Chalcedon Phillip Sidney Horky; 11. Polemon, grosser Schatten of the Old Academy John Dillon; 12. One Academy? The transition from Polemo and Crates to Arcesilaus Harrold Tarrant; 13. Carneades' theological arguments David Sedley; 14. The end of the Academy Mauro Bonazzi; 15. The Academy through Epicurean eyes: some lives of Academic Myrto Hatzimichali; Appendix. Index.

Paul Kalligas is Director of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi in Greece, and was Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens until 2015. His research interests are mainly focused on the history of Platonism.
Chloe Balla is Associate Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Crete. Her research focuses on the texts of the Sophists, Plato and Aristotle, as well as on the Greek medical writers. She is currently writing a monograph on Plato's Phaedo.
Effie Baziotopoulou-Valavani is an archaeologist and was Director of the Ephorate of Athens from 2009 to 2012, during which time she was responsible for renovation works in the archaeological site of the Academy of Plato, as well as for the exhibition at the Digital Museum of the site.
Vassilis Karasmanis is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the National Technical University of Athens, where he specialized in ancient philosophy and science. He was Director of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi from 1994 to 2004.