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Claudius Ptolemy and the Tetrabiblos
We discuss Claudius Ptolemy (no relation), synthesiser of Hellenistic astronomy/astrology to the mediæval world and beyond, and his two great works, …
6 years, 5 months ago
Numerical Mysteries: Nichomachus of Gerasa, Arithmology, and Second-Century Neopythagoreanism
Speculations about the properties of number have been a major constituent of some western esoteric traditions. In this episode we examine the most im…
6 years, 5 months ago
Matteo Martelli on the Pseudo-Democritus
In the previous episode we surveyed alchemy from its beginnings to the present day; in this episode we go back to the roots. Matteo Martelli has prod…
6 years, 5 months ago
Introducing Alchemy with Lawrence Principe
Here it finally is: Alchemy! This interview is a superb introduction to the Hermetick Art from Lawrence Principe, a man who knows how to ‘read, read,…
6 years, 6 months ago
Other Gospels and Alien Gods: Marcion of Sinope
We look at Marcion of Sinope, the final arch-heretic in our ‘unholy trinity’. Marcion compiled the first Christian textual canon – he wrote the first…
6 years, 6 months ago
Geoffrey Smith on Valentinus and Valentinianism
Under the expert guidance of Geoffrey Smith, we explore the world-view of Valentinus – an elite intellectual Christian thinker of the second century …
6 years, 6 months ago
I Got Soul, And I’m Super Bad: Basilides of Alexandria
Basilides of Alexandria, one of the first Christian philosophers and scriptural exegetes, is known as one of the great Gnostic heresiarchs of the sec…
6 years, 7 months ago
Warfaring Strangers: Prolegomena to Second-Century Christianity
We take a deep breath before diving into detailed discussions of early esoteric Christianities to consider a few key terms and their historical devel…
6 years, 7 months ago
Michael Williams on the Trouble with ‘Gnosticism’
Professor Michael Williams leads us on a tour of ‘Gnosticism’, both as a term (used and misused by ancient heresiologists, Reformation-era polemicist…
6 years, 7 months ago
Alone with the Alone: Numenius’ Metaphysics
We explore the philosophy of Numenius, in which we see the stirrings of a new type of apophatic discourse of transcendence which will come to be defi…
6 years, 8 months ago