Born February 21 1922, Paris. Died April 24 2010.
Training and professional career
- 1949-1964 : Trainee, then attaché, then research fellow at CNRS
- 1964-1985 : Director of Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études. Director of studies : Theology and Mystics of the Hellenistic and Roman periods
- 1982-1990 : Professor at the Collège de France, chair History of Hellenistic and Roman thought
- Since 1991 : Honorary Professor at the Collège de France
Awards and distinctions
- 1969 : Prix Saintour awarded by the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres for doctoral thesis : Porphyry and Victorinus
- 1969 : Prix Desrousseaux awarded by the Association pour l'encouragement des Études Grecques, for thesis : Porphyre et Victorinus, 1969
- 1972 : Corresponding member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, Mainz
- Since 1979 : Member of the Philology and Philosophy Commissions of the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz
- 1979 : Silver medal from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (French National Center for Scientific Research)
- 1985 : Honorary doctorate from the University of Neuchâtel
- 1990 : Prix Dagnan-Bouveret from the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques for : Exercices spirituels et philosophie antique
- 1992 : Prix d'Académie (Fondation Le Métais-Larivière Fils). Académie Française, for the collection of translations of Plotinus' writings
- 1999 : Grand Prix de Philosophie de l'Académie Française
- 2000 : Corresponding member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften, Munich
Works
- Critical editions, translations and commentaries on ancient texts (e.g. : Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Plotinus, Marius Victorinus, Ambrose, etc.).
- Study of ancient philosophical literary genres (dialogue, deductive exposition, etc.)
- Study of ancient philosophical life : communities of philosophers, characteristics of different philosophical lifestyles (Platonic, Aristotelian, Cynic, Skeptic, Epicurean, Stoic, Neoplatonist). The notion of spiritual exercise. The influence of philosophical life on political life. Relations between philosophers and non-philosophers
- Philosophers' attitude to nature
