Research Interests
Greek philosophy, and in particular Plato and the Platonic Tradition, including Middle Platonism, Neoplatonism, Christian Platonism and Renaissance Platonism.
Current Research
I am currently engaged on the following major projects:
An edition of the Letters of Iamblichus (text, translation and commentary), with Dr. Wolfgang Polleichner of the University of Bochum, which is now nearing completion, and is due to be published by SBL Press, Atlanta, in Autumn 2009.
The editing, in cooperation with Prof. Andrew Smith of UCD, of a series of translations, with notes, of key tractates of Plotinus. A dozen of these have already been commissioned. I myself am taking on the tractate ‘Problems of the Soul’ (Enn. IV 3-4).
A translation, with commentary, of Philo of Alexandria's De Abrahamo, as part of a project on Philo under the General Editorship of Profs. Gregory Sterling (University of Notre Dame) and David Runia (University of Melbourne). This is due for completion in 2010.
Recent Publications
Books
(with Sarah Klitenic Wear), Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonist Tradition (Ashgate, 2007)
(with Dominic O’Meara), Syrianus, On Aristotle, Metaphysics 13-14
(Duckworth, 2006)
Salt and Olives: Morality and Custom in Ancient Greece, (Edinburgh University Press, 2004; pbk. 2005)
Neoplatonic Philosophy: Introductory Readings, by John Dillon & Lloyd Gerson. Hackett: Philadelphia, 2004 (pbk., 2005)
The Heirs of Plato: A Study of the Old Academy, 347 - 247 B.C,
(Oxford University Press, 2003; pbk. 2005)
Emma C. Clarke, John M. Dillon & Jackson P. Hershbell, Iamblichus, On the Mysteries, trans. with introduction and notes
(SCM Press: Atlanta, 2003; co-publ. Brill Leiden, 2003)
John F. Finamore & John M. Dillon eds., Iamblichus, De Anima, text, translation and commentary. (Bril;: Leiden, 2002)
John Dillon & Tania Gergel (trans.) The Greek Sophists, with an intro. by John Dillon. (Penguin: Harmondsworth, 2003)
Alcinous: The Handbook of Platonism, trans. with commentary.
Oxford University Press (paper), 1995
The Great Tradition: Further Studies in the Development of Platonism and Christianity. (Ashgate: Aldershot, 1997)
Articles
2008
‘The One of the Soul and the Flower of the Intellect’, in Platonism and Forms of Intelligence, edd. John Dillon & Marie-Élise Zovko. Berlin: Academia Verlag, pp. 247-57.
‘Dion and Brutus: Philosopher Kings Adrift in a Hostile World’, in The Unity of Plutarch’s Work, ed. Anastasios Nikolaidis. Berlin/New York: De Gruyter, pp. 351-64.
‘Philo and Hellenistic Platonism’, in Philo of Alexandria and Post-Aristotelian Philosophy, ed. Francesca Alesse. Leiden/Boston: Brill, pp. 223-32.
2007
‘The Religion of the Last Hellenes’, in Rites et croyances dans les religions du monde romain, ed. John Scheid (Entretiens Fondation Hardt LIII), pp. 117-147.
‘The Freedom of the Caged Bird: Plotinus on “What is in Our Power”’, Philosophia 37, pp. 124-33.
‘What price the Father of the noetic triad? Some thoughts on Porphyry’s doctrine of the First Principle’, in Studies on Porphyry, edd. George Karamanolis & Anne Sheppard. London: Institute of Classical Studies, pp. 51-9.
‘Numenius: some ontological questions’, in Greek & Roman Philosophy, 100 B.C. – 200 A.D., edd. Robert W. Sharples & Richard Sorabji. London: Institute of Classical Studies, pp. 397-402.
‘John of Stobi on the Soul’, in Texts and Culture in Late Antiquity, ed. J.H.D. Scourfield, Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales, pp. 247-60.
2006
‘Pedantry and Pedestrianism?: Some Reflections on the Middle Platonic Commentary Tradition’, in Reading Plato in Antiquity, edd. Harold Tarrant & Dirk Baltzly. London: Duckworth, pp. 19-31
‘The Platonic Forms as Gesetze: Could Paul Natorp have been Right?’, in Eriugena, Berkeley, and the Idealist Tradition, edd. Stephen Gersh & Dermot Moran, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, pp. 39-53.
‘Holy and not so Holy: On the Interpretation of Late Antique Biography’, in The Limits of Ancient Biography, edd. Brian McGing & Judith Mossman. Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales, pp. 155-67.
‘The Eye of the Soul: The Doctrine of the Higher Consciousness in the Neoplatonic and Sufic Traditions’, in Recognizing the Margins: Developments in Biblical and Theological Studies. Essays in Honour of Sean Freyne, edd. Werner G. Jeanrond & Andrew D.H. Mayes. Dublin: Columba Press, pp. 112=22.
2005
‘Cosmic Gods and Primordial Chaos in Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy: The Context of Philo’s Interpretation of Plato’s Timaeus and the Book of Genesis’, in George van Kooten (ed.) The Creator of Heaven and Earth: Reinterpretations of Genesis 1 (Leiden: Brill), 98-107.
‘Plutarch’s Use of Unidentified Quotations’, in Plutarc a la seva epoca: Paideia i societat: Actas del VIII Simposio internacional de la Sociedad Espanola de Plutarquistas, Barcelona, 6-8 nov. 2003. a, pp.273-282.
‘Iamblichus’ Criticisms of Plotinus’ Doctrine of the Undescended Soul’, in Studi sull’ anima in Plotino, ed. R. Chiaradonna. Naples: Bibliopolis, 2005, pp. 339-351.
‘Empedocles’ Cosmic Cycle in the Later Platonist Tradition’, in Agonistes: Essays in Honour of Denis O’Brien, edd. John Dillon & Monique Dixsaut, Ashgate: Aldershot, 2005, pp. 227-234.
‘An Archetypal Bluestocking: Melanippe the Wise’, in Rebel Women: Essays in Honour of Marianne McDonald, edd. John Dillon & S.E. Wilmer, London: Methuen, 2005, pp. 222-233.
‘Porphyry, Pathways to the Intelligible’, trad. anglaise et notes, in Porphyre, Sentences, ed. Luc Brisson. 2 vols. Paris: Vrin, II pp. 795-835.
2004
'Philosophy as a Profession in Late Antiquity', in Approaching Late Antiquity, edd. Simon Swain & Mark Edwards, Oxford, pp. 401-18
'Dämonologie im frühen Platonismus', in Apuleius: Uber den Gott des Sokrates, edd. M. Baltes, M-L Lakmann, J.M. Dillon, P-L. Donini, R. Häfner, L. Karfikova, Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 2004, pp. 123-141.
Contributions to Encyclopaedia of British Classicists, London Thoemmes Press: Arthur Hilary Armstrong: Charles Bigg,; William Archer Butler; William Ralph Inge; Stephen MacKenna' Thomas Maguire.
2003
'The Timaeus in the Old Academy', in Plato's Timaeus as Cultural Icon, ed. Gretchen Reydams-Schils, Notre Dame, pp. 80-94.
'The Social Role of the Philosopher in Athens in the Second Century C.E.: Some Remarks', in Sage and Emperor: Plutarch, Greek Intellectuals and Roman Power in the Time of Trajan, 98-117 A.D., ed. P.A. Stadter & L. van der Stockt, Leuven., pp. 29-40.
'Philip of Opus and the Theology of Plato's Laws', in Plato's Laws: From Theory into Practice: Proceedings of the VI Symposium Platonicum, edd. S. Scolnicov & L. Brisson, Sankt Augustin: Academia Verlag, pp. 304-11.
2002
'Plutarch on God', in Traditions of Theology, edd. D. Frede & A. Laks (Proc. of Symposium Hellenisticum VIII) Brill: Leiden, pp. 223-238.
'The Essenes in Greek Sources: Some Reflections', in Jews in Hellenistic and Roman Cities, ed. John R. Bartlett, Routledge: London, pp. 117-128.
'Theophrastus' Critique of the Old Academy in the Metaphysics', in On the Opuscula of Theophrastus, edd. W. W. Fortenbaugh & G. Woehrle, Stuttgart, 2002., pp. 175 - 87.
Chapters 'Jamblich: Leben und Werke' & 'Die Vita Pythagorica - ein Evangelium?', in Jamblich, Pythagoras, Legende - Lehre - Lebensgestaltung, eingeleitet, übersetzt, und mit interpretierenden Essays versehen von Michael von Albrecht., John Dillon, Martin George, Michael Lurje, & David S. du Toit. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, pp. 11 - 21 & 295 - 301.
'The Platonic Philosopher at Prayer', in Metaphysik und Religion: Zur Signatur des spätantiken Denkens, edd. Theo Kobusch & Michael Erler, München/Leipzig: K.G. Saur, 2002, pp.279-296.
'An Unknown Platonist on God', in Enosis kai Philia, Unione e Amicizia: Omaggio a Francesco Romano, edd. M. Barbanti, G.R. Giardina, & P. Maganaro, CUECM: Catania, pp. 237-46.
'Iamblichus' Identification of the Subject-Matters of the Hypotheses', in Il Parmenide di Platone e la sua tradizione, edd. M. Barbanti & F. Romano, CUECM: Catania, pp.329-40.
