Linos Benakis

Linos G. Benakis (31 January 1928 – 12 October 2022) was a Greek historian of philosophy, professor, and researcher. He was born in Corfu and studied at the University of Thessaloniki and the University of Cologne, where he earned his doctorate under the supervision of Paul Wilpert. His doctoral thesis focused on the commentaries of Michael Psellos. Benakis was an associate and later director of the Centre for the Research of Greek Philosophy of the Academy of Athens. He played a crucial role in the study of Byzantine philosophy, advocating for its recognition as a distinct field of study. He initiated critical editions and publications of Byzantine philosophical texts, aiming to establish a canonical corpus for this area. His research covered ancient Greek, postclassical, Byzantine, and modern Greek philosophy. Benakis also employed a historical-critical method in his work, emphasizing textual verification and objective interpretation. He held visiting professorships at Princeton University and the University of Crete, and served as vice president of the Ionian University. His contributions were widely acknowledged, leading to his election to international academic societies and honorary doctorates. He received the State Prize for Literary Translation in 2013 for his work on Iamblichus. Benakis was married to Anna Psarouda-Benaki, a law professor and academician. He passed away at the age of 94.