Editing Hermeticism (section)

===Late Antiquity===
{{Further|Hellenistic religion|Decline of Hellenistic polytheism}}
[[File:Caduceus.svg|right|upright|thumb|The [[caduceus]] is a symbol of Hermeticism.]]

In [[Late Antiquity]], Hermetism{{efn|{{harvnb|Van den Broek|Hanegraaff|1998}} distinguish ''Hermetism'' in late antiquity from ''Hermeticism'' in the Renaissance revival.}} originated in the cultural and religious melting pot of [[Hellenistic Egypt]], a period marked by the fusion of Greek, Egyptian, and other Near Eastern religious and philosophical traditions. The central figure of [[Hermes Trismegistus]], who embodies both the Greek god [[Hermes]] and the Egyptian god [[Thoth]], emerged as a symbol of this [[syncretism]]. Hermes Trismegistus was revered as a divine sage and is credited with a vast corpus of writings known as the ''[[Hermetica]]'', which expound on various aspects of theology, cosmology, and spiritual practice.{{sfnm|1a1=Fowden|1y=1986|2a1=Copenhaver|2y=1992}}

Hermetism developed alongside other significant religious and philosophical movements such as early Christianity, Gnosticism, [[Neoplatonism]], the [[Chaldean Oracles]], and late [[Orphism (religion)|Orphic]] and [[Pythagoreanism|Pythagorean]] literature. These doctrines were "characterized by a resistance to the dominance of either pure rationality or doctrinal faith."{{sfn|Van den Broek|Hanegraaff|1998|p=vii}} [[Plutarch]]'s mention of Hermes Trismegistus dates back to the first century CE, indicating the early recognition of this figure in Greek and Roman thought. Other significant figures of the time, such as [[Tertullian]], [[Iamblichus]], and [[Porphyry (philosopher)|Porphyry]], were also familiar with Hermetic writings, which influenced their own philosophical and religious ideas.{{sfnm|1a1=Fowden|1y=1986|2a1=Copenhaver|2y=1992|3a1=Hoeller|3y=1996}}

The texts now known as the ''[[Corpus Hermeticum]]'' are generally dated by modern scholars to the beginning of the second century or earlier. These writings focus on the oneness and goodness of God, the purification of the soul, and the relationship between mind and spirit. Their predominant literary form is the [[dialogue]], where Hermes Trismegistus instructs a perplexed disciple on various teachings of hidden wisdom.{{sfnm|1a1=Copenhaver|1y=1992|2a1=Hanegraaff|2y=2012}}

In fifth-century [[Macedonia Salutaris|Macedonia]], [[Joannes Stobaeus]] compiled an extensive ''Anthology'' of Greek poetical, rhetorical, historical, and philosophical literature. Among the preserved excerpts are significant numbers of discourses and dialogues attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.<ref>{{harvnb|Copenhaver|1992}}; English translation in {{harvnb|Litwa|2018|pp=27–159}}.</ref>