Themistius was a philosopher, rhetorician, and statesman of the 4th century CE. He was born around 317 CE in Paphlagonia and died around 388 CE. His career was centered in Constantinople, where he served as a senator and political advisor under a series of Roman emperors, including Constantius II, Julian, and Theodosius I.
Although he was a pagan, Themistius maintained his position in a Christian imperial court by promoting religious tolerance and arguing that classical philosophy supported good governance. He was appointed as a royal tutor and was known by the epithet "Euphrades," meaning "eloquent."
His surviving works include two main types. First are his orations: 34 ceremonial speeches delivered at court that blend praise of the emperor with philosophical ideas. Second are his paraphrases of Aristotle's works, which were not strict commentaries but clear explanatory summaries designed for students. These paraphrases became very influential.
Modern scholars see Themistius as a pivotal figure. He helped transmit and simplify Aristotelian philosophy during an era when Neoplatonic thought was more dominant, making it accessible for later Byzantine and Arabic traditions. His speeches also provide valuable historical insight into the political culture and ideals of leadership in the late Roman Empire. He is often interpreted as embodying the ideal of a "philosopher in the city," actively using philosophy to engage with public life and imperial rule.
Available Works
Σχόλια εἰς τὰ Παρὰ Φυσικά
Commentary-Aristotle in Greek
45 passages
Σχόλια εἰς τὰ Ἀριστοτέλους περὶ ψυχῆς
Commentary-Aristotle in Greek
127 passages
Ὑπατικὸς εἰς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Ἰοβιανόν
Consular to Emperor Jovian
30 passages
Δεκετηρικὸς ἢ περὶ τῶν πρεπόντων λόγων τῷ βασιλεῖ
Deceteric or-Appropriate Speeches to the King
43 passages
Πρεσβευτικὸς εἰς Θεοδόσιον αὐτοκράτορα
Embassy to Emperor Theodosius
14 passages
Πρεσβευτικὸς ὑπὲρ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ῥηθεὶς ἐν
Embassy-Behalf of Constantinople Delivered in Rome
30 passages
Ἐπιτάφιος ἐπὶ τῷ πατρί
Epitaph-the Father
28 passages
Ἐρωτικὸς ἢ περὶ κάλλους βασιλικοῦ
Erotic or-Royal Beauty
70 passages
Προτρεπτικὸς Νικομηδεῦσιν εἰς φιλοσοφίαν
Exhortation to Nicomedians-Philosophy
34 passages
Προτρεπτικὸς Οὐαλεντινιανῷ νέῳ
Exhortation to Young Valentinian
33 passages
Μετριοπαθὴς ἢ φιλότεκνος
Moderate or Fond of Children
33 passages
Περὶ τῆς Ἀριστοτέλους Φυσικῆς
On Aristotle's Physics, Paraphrase
237 passages
Περὶ φιλίας
On Friendship
69 passages
Περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν τοῖς τόποις ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσι
On Not Paying Attention to Places but to Men
33 passages
Περὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἢ Κωνστάντιος
On Philanthropy or Constantius
65 passages
Περὶ φρονήσεως
On Prudence
5 passages
〈Ὑπὲρ τοῦ λέγειν ἢ πῶς τῷ φιλοσόφῳ λεκτέον〉
On Speaking or How the Philosopher Should Speak
64 passages
Περὶ τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως φιληκοΐας
On the King's Love of Praise
31 passages
〈Περὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ ὑπάτου〉
On the Names of the King and the Consul
12 passages
Ἐπὶ τῇ χειροτονίᾳ τῆς πολιαρχίας
On the Ordination of the Polity
12 passages
Ἐπὶ τῆς εἰρήνης Οὐάλεντι
On the Peace of Valens
50 passages
Ἐπὶ τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Θεοδοσίου
On the Philanthropy of Emperor Theodosius
31 passages
Περὶ προεδρίας εἰς τὴν σύγκλητον
On the Presidency in the Senate
15 passages
Περὶ τῶν ἠτυχηκότων ἐπὶ Οὐάλεντος
On Those Who Failed Under Valens
66 passages
Εἰς Κωνστάντιον τὸν αὐτοκράτορα, ὅτι μάλιστα
Oration to Emperor Constantius on the Philosopher King
56 passages
Παράφρασις τῶν Ἀναλυτικῶν Ὑστέρων
Paraphrase Of Posterior Analytics
67 passages
Φιλάδελφοι ἢ περὶ φιλανθρωπίας
Philadelphians or-Philanthropy
50 passages
Χαριστήριος τῷ αὐτοκράτορι ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ
Thanksgiving to the Emperor for the Peace and Consulship of General Saturninus
53 passages
Ἡ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ διάλεξις
The Discourse-the Word
10 passages
Ἡ φερομένη εἰς τὸν Ἀριστοτέλους Ἀναλυτικῶν
Themistius's Commentary on Aristotle's Prior Analytics, Book I
165 passages
Θέσις εἰ γεωργητέον
Thesis-Whether to Farm
15 passages
Εἰς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Κωνστάντιον
To Emperor Constantius
49 passages
Πρὸς τὸν ἀξιώσαντα λέγειν ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα
To the One Who Demanded Immediate Speech
2 passages
Εἰς Θεοδόσιον· τίς ἡ βασιλικωτάτη τῶν ἀρετῶν
To Theodosius, Which is the Most Royal of Virtues
55 passages
Πρὸς τοὺς αἰτιασαμένους ἐπὶ τῷ δέξασθαι τὴν ἀρχήν
To Those Accusing-Accepting the Office
31 passages
Πρὸς τοὺς οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐξηγουμένους τὸν σοφιστήν
To Those Not Correctly Interpreting the Sophist
18 passages
Βασανιστὴς ἢ φιλόσοφος
Tormentor or Philosopher
72 passages