Placita

Placita is an ancient compendium of philosophy, attributed to Aëtius and dating from the late first or early second century AD. It is organized into five books and contains short opinions or tenets from various philosophers and schools. It serves as a valuable resource for studying Presocratic and Hellenistic philosophy and offers a fresh translation, annotation, and text informed by the latest scholarship.

Format: Hardback
Length: 624 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

Placita, an ancient compendium of ancient philosophy, is widely attributed to an author named Aëtius and believed to have been written during the late first or early second century AD. This comprehensive work served as a concise summary of the principal doctrines and opinions of philosophers and philosophical schools, addressing various questions and topics within the realm of natural philosophy. Unfortunately, Placita has been lost to time, but its essence can be largely reconstructed through the extensive quotations found in the works of three authors who worked during the second to fifth century. These authors include Pseudo-Plutarch, Stobaeus, and Theodoret, who extensively quote from Placita.

Placita is structured into five books: First Principles, Cosmology, Meteorology and the Earth, Psychology, and Physiology. Each chapter comprises a collection of short opinions or tenets, attributed to individual philosophers and/or schools. These opinions are typically organized in sections that highlight the diversity and contrasting teachings involved. Designed as a versatile resource, Placita served multiple purposes, including serving as a manual for study, an aide-mémoire, a display of erudition, a tool for persuasion in rhetorical or apologetic contexts, and a source of personal enlightenment. It remains a valuable resource for our understanding of Presocratic and Hellenistic philosophy.

This edition of Aëtius' Placita presents a fresh translation, extensive annotations, and a text that is thoroughly informed by the latest scholarship. It aims to provide a comprehensive and accessible entry point into the world of Placita, allowing readers to delve into the rich tapestry of ancient philosophical thought and explore the diverse perspectives of the ancient philosophers.

Weight: 426g
Dimension: 114 x 170 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674997592