ancient city of Alexandria

Synesius and Alexandrian Syncretism

After Alexander the Great’s adventure of conquest, the Greek world became cosmopolitan and “modern”. Alexandria was the Hellenistic New York. The tolerant ruling Ptolemies promoted “syncretism”, the combination of religious ideas and practices. “Mysteries” of many traditions were practiced – for example, Roman Emperor Severus Alexander diplayed busts of Abraham, Orpheus, Jesus and Apollonius. Synesius of Cyrene (ca. 370- 413 CE) studied at Alexandria under the philosophical martyr Hypatia. Primarily a Neoplatonic philosopher in outlook, he became a Christian Bishop. But only on the condition that he continue to count Greek philosophy as the real Canon of Truth!