Philosophy in the Bibliotheca of Photius

Photius (c. 820 - 891) - a great erudite scholar and a patriarch of Constantinople - became known as the author of one of the best and most important literary works in Byzantium. His writing, known commonly as the Bibliotheca or Myriobiblios, is an invaluable resource of knowledge based on 279 books which he read over the years. Among the many books discussed by the patriarch, it is possible to find theological, philological and historical works, knowledge of which dominates in his codices. There are also a few books on natural sciences, medicine and philosophy. The aim of this paper is to discuss philosophical treatises of which no surviving copies are known to exist or which are known only from Photius' accounts. Those include works by Boethos, Damascius, Joannes Stobaeus, Nicomachus of Gerasa, Aenesidemus, Hierocles, Theophrastus and the anonymous author of the Life of Pythagoras. Some of the treatises were appreciated by him, while others were considered to be without significant scientific, stylistic or compositional value.