Stephen of Pisa

Stephen of Pisa (also Stephen of Antioch, Stephen the Philosopher) was an Italian translator from Arabic active in Antioch and Southern Italy in the first part of the twelfth century.

He was responsible for the translation of works of Islamic science, in particular medical works of Hali Abbas (the "al-Kitab al-Maliki", by Ali Abbas al-Majusi), translated around 1127 into Latin as "Liber regalis dispositionis". [Jerry Bieber, [http://inst.santafe.cc.fl.us/~jbieber/HS/trans2.htm Medieval translation table 2: Arabic sources] ] [ [http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline12.html Timeline of the 12th century] ] This was the first full translation, [ [http://www.muslimheritage.com/timeline/chronology.cfm Chronology of major events in Muslim Heritage] , muslimheritage.com] the earlier translation by Constantine the African as the "Pantegni" being partial.

It is believed that he was also a translator at about the same time of Ptolomey's "Almagest", for a manuscript now in Dresden, and the author or translator of the "Liber Mamonis", a discussion of the Ptolomaic cosmological system using Arabic knowledge, calling for it to replace the ideas of Macrobius then current in the Latin world. [Charles Burnett, The Transmission of Arabic Astronomy via Antioch and Pisa, in J.P. Hogendijk and A.I. Sabra (eds), "The Enterprise of Science in Islam: New Perspectives". MIT Press, 2003. (pp. 23-51)]

Initially from Pisa [Walter Berschin, [http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/Walter_Berschin_32.html From the Middle of the Eleven Century to the Latin Conquest of Constantinople: 2. Greek Studies North of the Alps] (1980)] , he studied in Salerno. [Sir Thomas Arnold (ed.), [http://www.islam4all.com/new_page_73.htm Legacy of Islam: 2. Science and Medicine] (1931), islam4all.com]

See also

*Latin translations of the 12th century

Notes