I am the Walter W. Hughes Professor of Classics at the University of Adelaide, specialising in intellectual history of ancient Greece and Rome. I have been working on several projects (3 with funding by the ARC): ancient consolation viewed as psychotherapy, for which I am writing a final synthesis in a monograph with the working title "The Therapeutic Turn in Antiquity. Consolation Strategies from Antiphon to Galen"; ancient censorship (ed. vol. 2015); a brief history of the Peripatos (Routledge 2016). My latest project is a collaborative study of the Stoic influence on political theorists in the 17th-18th c. I have also started a new translation of Eunapius' Lives of the Philosophers and Sophists, partnering with a new project from the University of Tasmania, and colleagues in Melbourne and Munich on "Becoming Godlike". Address: Classics DX 650 114 North Terrace The University of Adelaide Australia SA 5005
Pain Narratives in Greco-Roman Writings. Studies in the Representation of Physical and Mental Suffering, 2023
This volume aims to explore and clarify the subjective perspective on pain in the ancient world. ... more This volume aims to explore and clarify the subjective perspective on pain in the ancient world. The twelve case studies shine a light on the emerging vocabulary and various points of view as reported in literary, philosophical and medical texts.
New text, translation, introductions and notes of Philostratus (G. Miles) and Eunapius VPS (H. Ba... more New text, translation, introductions and notes of Philostratus (G. Miles) and Eunapius VPS (H. Baltussen)
This edited volume offers 8 in-depth studies of the ancient consolation, featuring a detailed ana... more This edited volume offers 8 in-depth studies of the ancient consolation, featuring a detailed analysis of the "genre" and individual studies of Greek tragedy, Cicero, Seneca, ps. Plutarch, Lucian, Augustine and al-Kindi.
Proceedings of a conference on philosophical commentaries in honour of R. Sorabji, ranging from t... more Proceedings of a conference on philosophical commentaries in honour of R. Sorabji, ranging from the beginnings of exegetical notes on Homer to the early modenr Arabic tradition.
This study offers a new and stimulating interpretation of Theophrastus' De sensibus, a treatise u... more This study offers a new and stimulating interpretation of Theophrastus' De sensibus, a treatise unique in content and method, as it reports and criticizes the theories of sense perception of the Presocratics and Plato. Most of the material on the Presocratics is found nowhere else, which explains why many passages can be found scattered over the Fragmente der Vorsokratiker. As an antidote to this fragmented approach the Presocratics are here studied in context, a text informed by a distinctly Peripatetic perspective. The analysis of the reports and (long neglected) criticisms of … read morePlato (ch.4) and the Presocratics (ch.5) offers new insights into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by succesfully using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool. The Epilogue outlines some implications for the role of the treatise in the doxographical tradition
... Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37692, Ty... more ... Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37692, Type: Name authority. Title: For works by "Baltussen, Johannes Nicolaas Marie", see "Baltussen, Han". ...
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
of pragmatic theories and ultimately offers an exclusionary theory as the most promising. The thi... more of pragmatic theories and ultimately offers an exclusionary theory as the most promising. The third section, ‘Ethics and Politics’, contains five essays. S. Everson offers a sophisticated discussion of Plato’s treatments of justice and just action in the Republic. The highlight is his attempt to disarm Sach’s famous irrelevance objection by showing that it depends upon an outdated analytic account of definition. Everson’s robustly philosophical approach to Sach’s problem is novel and welcome – it is about time one examined the philosophical presuppositions driving that famous problem. However, a complete resolution of Sach’s problem requires in addition an equally detailed and nuanced account of the moral psychology of the just agent, which is lacking from the paper. In a short essay A. Kenny argues that practical truth differs significantly from theoretical truth for Aristotle and, contrary to Anscombe, is not a property of actions but rather an effect of the proper employment of practical reason. Kenny’s paper could have benefited from additional engagement with the recent literature on practical truth, but his proposals are sensible. There follows a rich paper by M. Schofield that examines the influence of democratic ideas and practice on Aristotle’s political theory in Politics 3. According to Schofield, the picture of the political sphere that emerges is one where the citizens exhibit power by participating in deliberation in the assembly and law courts and are qualified to do so by means of the modicum of virtue and wisdom they possess. The last two papers concern the Stoics and Cicero. R. Sorabji offers an analysis of one of the Stoics’ favourite locutions for expressing reservation, ‘if God (or Zeus) wills’. His proposal aims at salvaging the remark’s status as an expression of a preference without making blasphemous claims about what is or is not appropriate for Zeus. M. Griffin closes with a valuable discussion of Cicero’s De officiis. She argues that the restricted focus of the treatise and the work that partly inspires it are of a piece with its main aim, viz. imparting to those who have high political ambitions a code for conduct at the top level of Roman society. In addition to these well-conceived and high-calibre essays there is a witty introduction by the editors and an extensive bibliography of Barnes’ work compiled by M. Bonelli. There is no general bibliography; each paper contains its own list of works cited. However, this does not detract much from the usability of the volume. More problematic is the lack of an index of subjects. Nevertheless, much like Barnes’ own work, this volume is an enjoyable, engaging and rewarding read. The editors should be commended for honouring this philosophical giant with a collection of the highest quality.
... In DS eleven times (2, 30, 36, 57, 58, 59, 60, 78, 86, 90, 91); also in the opuscula cf. de I... more ... In DS eleven times (2, 30, 36, 57, 58, 59, 60, 78, 86, 90, 91); also in the opuscula cf. de Igne 37, de Vent 11, 44, 59; de Lap 8, 17, 37, 48, 62. ... So what starts out as a careful question on a problem, where the actual words of the philosopher were the starting point, may get further ...
Pain Narratives in Greco-Roman Writings. Studies in the Representation of Physical and Mental Suffering, 2023
This volume aims to explore and clarify the subjective perspective on pain in the ancient world. ... more This volume aims to explore and clarify the subjective perspective on pain in the ancient world. The twelve case studies shine a light on the emerging vocabulary and various points of view as reported in literary, philosophical and medical texts.
New text, translation, introductions and notes of Philostratus (G. Miles) and Eunapius VPS (H. Ba... more New text, translation, introductions and notes of Philostratus (G. Miles) and Eunapius VPS (H. Baltussen)
This edited volume offers 8 in-depth studies of the ancient consolation, featuring a detailed ana... more This edited volume offers 8 in-depth studies of the ancient consolation, featuring a detailed analysis of the "genre" and individual studies of Greek tragedy, Cicero, Seneca, ps. Plutarch, Lucian, Augustine and al-Kindi.
Proceedings of a conference on philosophical commentaries in honour of R. Sorabji, ranging from t... more Proceedings of a conference on philosophical commentaries in honour of R. Sorabji, ranging from the beginnings of exegetical notes on Homer to the early modenr Arabic tradition.
This study offers a new and stimulating interpretation of Theophrastus' De sensibus, a treatise u... more This study offers a new and stimulating interpretation of Theophrastus' De sensibus, a treatise unique in content and method, as it reports and criticizes the theories of sense perception of the Presocratics and Plato. Most of the material on the Presocratics is found nowhere else, which explains why many passages can be found scattered over the Fragmente der Vorsokratiker. As an antidote to this fragmented approach the Presocratics are here studied in context, a text informed by a distinctly Peripatetic perspective. The analysis of the reports and (long neglected) criticisms of … read morePlato (ch.4) and the Presocratics (ch.5) offers new insights into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by succesfully using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool. The Epilogue outlines some implications for the role of the treatise in the doxographical tradition
... Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37692, Ty... more ... Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/37692, Type: Name authority. Title: For works by "Baltussen, Johannes Nicolaas Marie", see "Baltussen, Han". ...
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
of pragmatic theories and ultimately offers an exclusionary theory as the most promising. The thi... more of pragmatic theories and ultimately offers an exclusionary theory as the most promising. The third section, ‘Ethics and Politics’, contains five essays. S. Everson offers a sophisticated discussion of Plato’s treatments of justice and just action in the Republic. The highlight is his attempt to disarm Sach’s famous irrelevance objection by showing that it depends upon an outdated analytic account of definition. Everson’s robustly philosophical approach to Sach’s problem is novel and welcome – it is about time one examined the philosophical presuppositions driving that famous problem. However, a complete resolution of Sach’s problem requires in addition an equally detailed and nuanced account of the moral psychology of the just agent, which is lacking from the paper. In a short essay A. Kenny argues that practical truth differs significantly from theoretical truth for Aristotle and, contrary to Anscombe, is not a property of actions but rather an effect of the proper employment of practical reason. Kenny’s paper could have benefited from additional engagement with the recent literature on practical truth, but his proposals are sensible. There follows a rich paper by M. Schofield that examines the influence of democratic ideas and practice on Aristotle’s political theory in Politics 3. According to Schofield, the picture of the political sphere that emerges is one where the citizens exhibit power by participating in deliberation in the assembly and law courts and are qualified to do so by means of the modicum of virtue and wisdom they possess. The last two papers concern the Stoics and Cicero. R. Sorabji offers an analysis of one of the Stoics’ favourite locutions for expressing reservation, ‘if God (or Zeus) wills’. His proposal aims at salvaging the remark’s status as an expression of a preference without making blasphemous claims about what is or is not appropriate for Zeus. M. Griffin closes with a valuable discussion of Cicero’s De officiis. She argues that the restricted focus of the treatise and the work that partly inspires it are of a piece with its main aim, viz. imparting to those who have high political ambitions a code for conduct at the top level of Roman society. In addition to these well-conceived and high-calibre essays there is a witty introduction by the editors and an extensive bibliography of Barnes’ work compiled by M. Bonelli. There is no general bibliography; each paper contains its own list of works cited. However, this does not detract much from the usability of the volume. More problematic is the lack of an index of subjects. Nevertheless, much like Barnes’ own work, this volume is an enjoyable, engaging and rewarding read. The editors should be commended for honouring this philosophical giant with a collection of the highest quality.
... In DS eleven times (2, 30, 36, 57, 58, 59, 60, 78, 86, 90, 91); also in the opuscula cf. de I... more ... In DS eleven times (2, 30, 36, 57, 58, 59, 60, 78, 86, 90, 91); also in the opuscula cf. de Igne 37, de Vent 11, 44, 59; de Lap 8, 17, 37, 48, 62. ... So what starts out as a careful question on a problem, where the actual words of the philosopher were the starting point, may get further ...
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
Theophrastus against the Presocratics and Plato, 2000
This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the tre... more This study of Theophrastus' much neglected De sensibus offers a new interpretation of the treatment of the Presocratic and Platonic views on sense perception, and provides new insight into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool.
… de Filosofía Antigua= International journal for …, 2006
... An Empedoclean 'hearing aid'?: fragment b99 revisited. Autores: Han Baltussen; Loca... more ... An Empedoclean 'hearing aid'?: fragment b99 revisited. Autores: Han Baltussen; Localización: Méthexis. Revista Internacional de Filosofía Antigua = International journal for ancient philosophy, ISSN 0327-0289, Nº. 19, 2006 , págs. 7-20. Fundación Dialnet. ...
A detailed examination of CIcero's personal motivation to write philosophical works as a res... more A detailed examination of CIcero's personal motivation to write philosophical works as a result of his bereavement. The paper argues that Cicero's translation / transformation of Greek philosophy into Latin is part of his grief-work.
I discuss the explosion of finds of ancient papyri and manuscripts in the I am running late. eta ... more I discuss the explosion of finds of ancient papyri and manuscripts in the I am running late. eta 7 19th and 20th centuries (as predicted by Mommsen), and focus on three significant examples: Empedocles (found in 1990), Galen (found in 2005), and Archimedes (palimpsest rediscovered in 1998). The talk emphasises the important collaboration between scholars and scientists which made it possible to read carbonised papyri and palimpsests with the latest technologies (e.g. X-Ray Phase Contrast Imaging; tomography).
(forthc.) The subtle use of Homeric phrases and allusions in Eunapius is examined to show how thi... more (forthc.) The subtle use of Homeric phrases and allusions in Eunapius is examined to show how this paragon of pagan literature may enhance both the literary quality (such as it is) and the polemical tone against the Christians of the peculiar "Lives of Philosophers and Sophists".
Is there a close link between authoritarian leaders who start empires and censorship? Two ancient... more Is there a close link between authoritarian leaders who start empires and censorship? Two ancient states, Rome under Augustus and the rise of China under Qin, suggest that there is such a correlation. By using a working definition of censorship as the suppression of ideas by those in power, we argue that in these two cases establishing a new power structure tended to involve rewriting recent history and robust affirmation of a new value system that conflicted with the previous order. Six case studies will illustrate how censorship became a useful tool for both political leaders in starting an empire.
JJ C (ed.): Traditions of Platonism. Essays in Honour of John Dillon. Pp. xxv + 416. Aldersh... more JJ C (ed.): Traditions of Platonism. Essays in Honour of John Dillon. Pp. xxv + 416. Aldershot, etc.: Ashgate, 1999. Cased, £55. ISBN: 1-84014-684-2. This collection of essays in honour of John Dillon brings together an interesting set of twenty-two papers (in English, ...
Project grown out of a study of ancient consolations. A planned monograph on the rise of ‘grief m... more Project grown out of a study of ancient consolations. A planned monograph on the rise of ‘grief management’ in classical antiquity (450 BCE–200 CE) and beyond will synthesise and integrate ancient writings on consolation (philosophical/ rhetorical analyses, self-consolations) with modern grief theories and first person accounts in order to highlight an important stage in intellectual history, which I label the ‘therapeutic turn’. Preliminary studies were made on Cicero, Plutarch, Marcus Aurelius (see Papers)
This chapter examines the relationship between the Aristotelian philosophers (30 BCE to 200 CE) a... more This chapter examines the relationship between the Aristotelian philosophers (30 BCE to 200 CE) and the so-called Second Sophistic. It discusses how the study of Aristotle's works experienced a revival, leading to a new text-based approach to his corpus. The evidence for the main protagonists of those interested in Aristotle is fragmentary. Some were leading thinkers of the school (Andronicus of Rhodes), others eclectic readers of Aristotle (Xenarchus of Seleucia, Galen of Pergamum). The views of both styles of scholar on Aristotle arose mostly in a didactic context, clarifying the texts to students. Thus philosophers began to engage in scholarly commentary as a standard way to practice philosophy. This trend quickly culminated in the running commentary, the prime example of which is the work of Alexander of Aphrodisias (ca. 200 CE), who also had connections to the imperial court.
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Most of the material on the Presocratics is found nowhere else, which explains why many passages can be found scattered over the Fragmente der Vorsokratiker. As an antidote to this fragmented approach the Presocratics are here studied in context, a text informed by a distinctly Peripatetic perspective. The analysis of the reports and (long neglected) criticisms of … read morePlato (ch.4) and the Presocratics (ch.5) offers new insights into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by succesfully using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool. The Epilogue outlines some implications for the role of the treatise in the doxographical tradition
Most of the material on the Presocratics is found nowhere else, which explains why many passages can be found scattered over the Fragmente der Vorsokratiker. As an antidote to this fragmented approach the Presocratics are here studied in context, a text informed by a distinctly Peripatetic perspective. The analysis of the reports and (long neglected) criticisms of … read morePlato (ch.4) and the Presocratics (ch.5) offers new insights into Theophrastus' exegetical procedure by succesfully using Peripatetic dialectic as a heuristic tool. The Epilogue outlines some implications for the role of the treatise in the doxographical tradition
Preliminary studies were made on Cicero, Plutarch, Marcus Aurelius (see Papers)