دور آنيكيريس الكيريني في تحرير أفلاطون من العبودية

Abstract

The historical sources report that the Cyrenaic philosopher Annicerius played a role in securing the release of Plato from slavery following the failure of his political mission in Sicily and his conflict with Dionysius I. According to the sources, Plato was sold in the slave market, where Anniceris paid his ransom and restored him to freedom, although the accounts differ regarding the precise details of the event. This narrative reflects the intersection of philosophical networks across different schools, as a representative of the Cyrenaic tradition appears in a humanitarian role toward a philosopher of the Academy. In later ancient literature, the episode was also employed to underscore intellectual connections between Cyrene and Athens, and perhaps to confer a symbolic dimension linking the two philosophical traditions. Thus, the account of the rescue holds both historical and literary significance, combining political reality with narrative construction in the ancient sources.