Life The author of the Ἀνώνυμος διάλογος περὶ τῆς πολιτικῆς ἐπιστήμης (Anonymous Dialogue on Political Science) is unknown. Scholarly consensus, based on the work’s content, dates it to the mid-to-late 6th century CE during the reign of Emperor Justinian I [1]. The text reveals an author deeply versed in Neoplatonic philosophy, Roman law, and contemporary imperial administration, likely a member of the educated Constantinopolitan elite [1][2].

Works The sole extant work is the fragmentary Dialogue on Political Science (Περὶ πολιτικῆς ἐπιστήμης). Only substantial portions of Books 4, 5, and 6 survive from a longer original. This prose dialogue treats political theory, the ideal state, and practical matters of law, warfare, and governance [1][2][3].

Significance The dialogue is a critical document of late antique political thought, uniquely synthesizing Neoplatonic philosophy with 6th-century Byzantine imperial ideology [1][2]. It demonstrates the enduring vitality of secular Greek political philosophy and provides crucial insight into contemporary elite perspectives on emperorship, law, and social order, engaging directly with Platonic models and Justinianic reforms [1][3].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/byzantine-philosophy/#PoliScie 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-8042 3. Perseus Digital Library: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0621