On the Issue of Athens School Closing in 529 AD

• Published in: Izvestiâ Uralʹskogo federalʹnogo universiteta. Seriâ 2, Gumanitarnye nauki Vol. 18; no. 3 (154); pp. 205 - 214
• Main Author: Bolgova, A. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Ural Federal University Press 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Афинская философская школа; Византия; классическое образование; христианство; Юстиниан; язычество
• ISSN: 2227-2283; 2587-6929
• DOI: 10.15826/izv2.2016.18.3.054

The article describes one of the most important events in the cultural life of Byzantium under Justinian I, namely, the closure of the pagan school of philosophy in Athens in 529 AD. Referring to legal sources, the author concludes that Justinian’s legal acts were not directly connected with the Academy of Athens but had an Empire-wide character. The Emperor’s policy in the sphere of education did not mean closing of certain pagan schools but the elimination of classical philosophy teaching in Byzantium as a whole. According to John Malalas, there did not exist a special decree ordering to close the School of Athens. Referring to the source studies by J. Thurn, the author concludes that the 529 decree concerned teachers of philosophy, soothsayers, astrologers, and owners of gambling houses. Further on, the decree was carried out by the local municipal authorities and by 531, the School of Athens had ceased to exist. Finally, the author points out the main tendency in the evolution of Early Byzantine higher school of the 6th century: its most suitable model was a classical one in its content, but Christian in its form of management.