Ancient Greek philosophy may have traveled from Alexandria to Constantinople during the seventh century, according to a new study. Researchers have identified unusual philosophical ideas and expressions in Byzantine writings that closely resemble teachings from an influential school in Alexandria. The findings offer new evidence of how Greek philosophical traditions survived and spread across the eastern Mediterranean.
The study, published in The Classical Quarterly, was conducted by Sonsoles Costero-Quiroga of the Spanish National Research Council and the University of Oxford. It examines the writings of Theophylact Simocatta (Greek: Θεοφύλακτος Σιμοκάτ(τ)ης), a Byzantine historian who lived during the reign of Emperor Heraclius.
Ancient Greek teachings may have reached Constantinople
During the sixth century, Alexandria was an important center of Greek learning. The philosopher Olympiodorus the Younger led a school that taught Neoplatonism, a tradition based on the ideas of Plato. The philosophical movement had deep roots in Alexandria, where Ammonius Saccas helped revive Plato’s teachings centuries earlier.
Scholars have long debated whether Olympiodorus’ teachings reached Constantinople through Stephanus of Alexandria, a philosopher believed to have joined the imperial court under Heraclius.
The German scholar Hermann Usener proposed that Stephanus brought philosophical manuscripts and teaching methods from Alexandria. However, later researchers questioned the theory because direct textual evidence was lacking. Costero-Quiroga’s study identifies two connections that strengthen the possibility of such a transfer.
Rare philosophical language links two traditions
The first connection appears in Simocatta’s History, where he praises Patriarch Sergius, an influential religious leader in Constantinople. Simocatta describes Sergius as someone who maintains order in the earthly world. His language closely resembles an unusual expression found in Olympiodorus’ lectures on Plato’s Gorgias.
Ancient Greek philosophy may have traveled from Alexandria to Constantinople more than 1,400 years ago. New research uncovers rare similarities in Byzantine writings, offering fresh clues about how Greek philosophical teachings survived and spread. pic.twitter.com/JuoXnM0xZV
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 13, 2026
According to the study, this particular use of the expression appears nowhere else in earlier surviving Greek literature. The second connection concerns the relationship between the human body and philosophical thought. Simocatta describes Sergius as an example of “embodied contemplation,” suggesting that a person could maintain deep philosophical understanding throughout life while remaining physically active.
Olympiodorus had defended a similar position in his lectures on Plato’s Phaedo. Other ancient philosophers generally questioned whether such continuous contemplation was possible while living in a human body. The study also identifies comparable language in Simocatta’s letters, strengthening the connection between the two philosophical traditions.
Findings offer clues to the survival of Greek philosophy
Costero-Quiroga argues that these similarities suggest Simocatta may have encountered teachings associated with Olympiodorus’ Alexandrian school. The findings also show how Byzantine writers combined Greek philosophical ideas with Christian religious language. This reflects a broader intellectual tradition in which Byzantine scholars preserved ancient Greek texts and incorporated classical learning into their education.
However, the evidence remains indirect. The study does not establish which manuscripts reached Constantinople or whether Stephanus personally carried them there. Further comparisons of surviving philosophical texts could help researchers trace how Alexandrian teachings influenced intellectual life at the Byzantine imperial court, where Greek remained central to scholarship and education.
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