Ancient Wisdom in Maximus of Tyre

This chapter focuses on the Platonist philosopher and rhetorician Maximus of Tyre. Maximus’ enthusiastic longing for antiquity is a leitmotif that runs through his entire work. This paper aims to present his approach to the distant past with attention to the related but different perspectives developed by the notions of ancient poetic philosophy and primitive wisdom. To put it another way, the issue closely concerns Homeric and non-Homeric wisdom. Indeed, post-Hellenistic culture took a great deal of interest in ancient wisdom, a topic in which Homer did play a key role. Hence, the present contribution will focus primarily on Maximus’ portrayal of Homer’s philosophical stature. As we shall see, the ensuing relationship between Homer and Plato, explored in terms of their kinship and agreement, proves crucial in the Dissertations for the development (i. e., recovery) of a unitary Philosophy. Accordingly, even the exotic aspects of ancient wisdom turn out to be relevant to Maximus’ purpose.