The Gioumeios and Epiphaneios Schools in Ioannina functioned as centers of rigorous intellectual inquiry under the direction of Methodios Anthrakites. A polymath who synthesized the roles of cleric, mathematician, and philosopher, his tenure triggered the Methodios Affair, a landmark confrontation between modern European scientific thought and the traditionalist theological doctrines maintained during the Ottoman occupation of Greece.
Academic Foundation and Early Work
Born in the Zagori region in 1660, Anthrakites developed his expertise through studies in Ioannina and later at the University of Padua. During a period of residence in Venice that began in 1697, he served as a priest at San Giorgio dei Greci. With the assistance of Meletius Tipaldi, he published works including Spiritual Visitation and Shepherd of Reasonable Sheep through the printing house of Nikolaos Glykis.
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Upon returning to Greece in 1708, Anthrakites directed the Ierospoudasterion in Kastoria, followed by leadership roles at the Kyritzi School. His curriculum spanned geometry, geodesy, and optics, heavily incorporating elements of Euclid and Theodosius. He broke from the prevailing Korydalism, an Aristotelian-centered educational framework, by introducing the concepts of Descartes and Malebranche. He also championed the use of the spoken language in education, challenging the ecclesiastical insistence on archaic Greek forms.
The Methodios Affair
His departure from conventional teaching methods led to his excommunication and condemnation by Patriarch Jeremias III in 1723. Accused of heresy, Quietism, and ideological links to Miguel de Molinos, he was forced to publicly burn his manuscripts in Constantinople. Despite the intense opposition, he was eventually restored to teaching, allowing his methodology to influence future scholars including Eugenios Voulgaris and Balanos Vasilopoulos.
Mathematical Legacy
Anthrakites maintained a dual interest in scientific advancement and established systems, notably referencing the Copernican heliocentric model while remaining nominally committed to geocentrism. His mathematical notes were preserved and expanded by his student Balanos Vasilopoulos, who published The Way of Mathematics in 1749. These texts became standard instructional materials in Greek schools for subsequent decades, solidifying his role in the Modern Greek Enlightenment.
Fast facts
- Born: 1660, Zagori
- Died: 1749, Ioannina
- Educated: University of Padua
- Primary occupations: Mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, cleric
- Notable students: Eugenios Voulgaris, Balanos Vasilopoulos
- Key publications: The Way of Mathematics, Shepherd of Reasonable Sheep
Questions readers ask
What was the Methodios Affair?
It was a controversy involving the persecution of Anthrakites by the church for introducing modern philosophical thought and heliocentric theories into Greek education.
How did he influence Greek education?
He introduced contemporary European philosophy, mathematics, and the use of the spoken language in teaching, moving away from archaic forms and strict Aristotelian traditions.
Achievements
- Fields: mathematics, astronomer and physics
