The efforts of Imperial era Neoplatonists was part of a larger phenomenon of syncretistic Greek cultural activity spanning nearly a millennium before Iamblichus’ time, and likely well before that. Iamblichus claimed continuity with a tradition which included not only Plato but Pythagoras and others, from both East and West. From Pythagoras we might draw connections to the wisdom traditions of the Egyptian and Babylonian priesthoods. Whether true or not, we can place these traditions well before any reliable account of the biblical Hebrews, despite their arguments to the contrary.