The Byzantine scholar who tried to replace Christianity with a pagan, Platonic utopia.

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Georgios Gemistos Plethon was a renowned philosopher who secretly authored a radical Book of Laws. He envisioned a reborn Byzantine Empire governed by a hierarchical pantheon of classical gods and Platonic ideals, effectively attempting to revive Hellenic civilization while the world around him shifted toward the Renaissance and the Ottoman conquest.

Born in Constantinople around 1355, Plethon became a central figure in the intellectual life of the late Byzantine era. He served as a judge and senator, yet his private life was defined by a profound devotion to Plato, whose name he adopted late in life. While he was a respected scholar and diplomat who accompanied Emperor John VIII to the Council of Florence in 1438, his internal world was far removed from the Orthodox faith of his peers.

In his secret work, the Nomoi, Plethon outlined a utopian political system for the Peloponnese. He proposed a centralized monarchy advised by an educated elite, where land was publicly owned and the economy relied on barter rather than coinage. His religious vision was equally bold, rejecting Christian doctrine in favor of a synthesis of Zoroastrian mysticism and the worship of classical gods like Zeus and Poseidon. He believed the universe was eternal and that human souls were subject to reincarnation, guided by divine order.

Plethon’s influence on the West was significant, though often misunderstood. His lectures in Florence helped reintroduce Plato to Western Europe, challenging the long-standing dominance of Aristotle. While legends suggest he directly inspired Cosimo de' Medici to found the Platonic Academy, modern historians like James Hankins note that such direct connections are often exaggerated. Nevertheless, his legacy persisted; after his death in 1452 or 1454, his remains were stolen by disciples and interred in Rimini, and his ideas continued to ripple through the works of humanists and poets like Ezra Pound.

The fate of his radical philosophy was sealed by his former student, George Scholarius. Upon becoming Patriarch of Constantinople, Scholarius discovered the manuscript of the Nomoi and, following the advice of his predecessor, burned the text in 1460 to suppress its heretical content. Only fragments and summaries survive, yet they offer a glimpse into a mind that sought to bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and the crumbling reality of the Byzantine Empire.

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