 According to Iamblichus, the gods help mankind overcome its inherent weakness by revealing symbols to them that will establish some sort of connection: one of the criticisms he lays on Porphyry is that his views will “leave earth deprived of the presence of the superior beings” (Reply to Porphyry I, 8 [SS-2013: 21.12–13]). These symbols may differ in nature: items, rituals, myths, theological revelations such as the Chaldean Oracles, etc.; and most of them are placed under the patronage of a particular deity, thus creating a “chain” (seira) of, say, sun-like entities. In this manner, Iamblichean ontology necessarily leads to cultural traditionalism; it also opens up the possibility of a grandiose sumphōnia of all Pagan schools or currents, be they Hellenic or “barbarian”, the latter actually being assigned even more prestige insofar as the Egyptians, Assyrians, Phoenicians etc. enjoy greater antiquity and—supposedly—avoided innovation, contrary to the Greeks (Reply to Porphyry VII, 5 [SS-2013: 192.22–24]). A whole new field thus opened up for Platonists in which they could exercise their exegetical virtuosity in search of remarkable analogies. It is no wonder, then, that Iamblichus’ views were heartily embraced by later proponents of a “Pagan revival”, of whom the most prominent was Julian the Apostate: a Roman emperor as well as the pupil of Maximus of Ephesus, who was a philosopher in the tradition of Iamblichus in addition to being the most infamous theurgist of his time.