Neoplatonism (also called Neo-Platonism), is the modern (19th century) term for

a school of mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century, based on the
teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists, with its earliest contributor believ
ed to be Plotinus, and his teacher Ammonius Saccas. Neoplatonism focused on the
spiritual and cosmological aspects of Platonic thought, synthesizing Platonism w
ith Egyptian and Jewish theology. However, Neoplatonists would have considered t
hemselves simply Platonists, and the modern distinction is due to the perception
that their philosophy contained sufficiently unique interpretations of Plato to
make it substantially different from what Plato wrote and believed.
The Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Porphyry has been referred to as in fact being
orthodox Platonic philosophy by scholars like John D. Turner. This distinction p
rovides a contrast with later movements of Neoplatonism, such as those of Iambli
chus and Proclus, which embraced magical practices or theurgy as part of the sou
l's development in the process of the soul's return to the Source. Possibly Plot
inus was motivated to clarify some of the traditions in the teachings of Plato t
hat had been misrepresented before Iamblichus (see Neoplatonism and Gnosticism).
Neoplatonism took definitive shape with the philosopher Plotinus, who claimed to
have received his teachings from Ammonius Saccas, a philosopher in Alexandria.
Plotinus was also influenced by Alexander of Aphrodisias and Numenius of Apamea.
Plotinus's student Porphyry assembled his teachings into the six sets of nine t
ractates, or Enneads. Subsequent Neoplatonic philosophers included Iamblichus, H
ypatia of Alexandria, Hierocles of Alexandria, Proclus (by far the most influent
ial of later Neoplatonists), Damascius (last head of Neoplatonist School at Athe
ns), Olympiodorus the Younger, and Simplicius of Cilicia.