Origen the Pagan

Origen the Pagan was a Platonist philosopher who lived in Alexandria during the early 3rd century. He was a student of Ammonius Saccas and a contemporary of Plotinus within Ammonius's philosophy school. Some researchers propose that this Origen could be the same as the renowned Christian philosopher and theologian Origen of Alexandria, who was also educated by Ammonius Saccas. To distinguish him, the pagan philosopher is sometimes referred to as Origenes. Origen is mentioned three times in Porphyry's *Life of Plotinus*, where he is treated with more kindness than the Christian Origen, whom Porphyry disliked. He is also mentioned by Proclus, and it is evident that his fellow students, Plotinus and Longinus, held him in high regard. According to Porphyry, Plotinus held him in such high esteem that he stated he had nothing to teach him. The only known aspect of his philosophical views is that he did not consider the *One* beyond intellect and being as the first principle of reality, as Plotinus did. Instead, he identified the first principle as the supreme intellect and primary being. This suggests that his philosophical views were more aligned with traditional Middle Platonism than with the Neoplatonism espoused by Plotinus.