This chapter analyzes pertinent fragments of Porphyry’s De philosophia ex oraculis to show the weakness of Gustavus Wolff’s original thematic classification of the three books and to argue that the hypothesis of Wolff and Bidez that Porphyry’s works follow a clearly defined ideological pat... see more

This chapter begins Section II of the book, which sets soteriological universalism in the historical, social, political, economic, and religious and philosophical context of the Third Century Crisis. By analyzing a plethora of epigraphic data to show the reader the nuances of the views on ... see more

The fine points of Porphyry’s tripartite soteriological system are investigated in this chapter, showing how each of the three ways of salvation functioned. Gustavus Wolff’s thematic classification of the three books of Philosophy from Oracles (gods, angels and demons, heroes) is shown to ... see more