AcademyAkademeia or Academeia

An olive grove near the city of Athens which was sacred to the hero, Akademus (Academus) who assisted Kastor (Castor) and Polydeukes (Polydeuces or Pollux) in the rescue of their sister, Helen.

Plato and his followers taught in the grove and, thus, their school was called The Academy.

Modern scholars have divided the teachings of The Academy into “schools” because the world-view and style evolved as time passed and as different teachers presided over The Academy; the divisions are:

The Old Academy (circa 400-265 BCE), typified by Plato.

The Middle Academy (circa 265-150 BCE), typified by Arkesilas (Arcesilas).

The New Academy (circa 150-86 BCE), typified by Karneades (Carneades).

The direct, continuous influence of The Academy was finally broken in 86 BCE by the Romans when Athens was burned; attempts were made to re-build on the centuries-old reputation of The Academy but the Roman domination of the entire Mediterranean area was overwhelming and later incarnations of The Academy were mere shadows of the original school.