But some of the early camps were teaching something very similar to Neoplatonism far earlier than Plotinus. For example, Marcion was teaching that the physical world was a mistake, created by a sort of bumbling deity and that the real `spiritual' God sent the Christ principle to become incarnate to reveal the fullness of spirit  by teaching us who are trapped in physical bodies to transcend physicality. Various gnostic groups also taught something along these lines.

And some people, like me, think there is less difference between Platonism and Neoplatonism than other people claim. Sure, there are differences. I won't deny that. I just don't think they're all that substantial.

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There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic
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