Greek Alchemy from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity

Greek Alchemy from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity PDF Author: E. Nikolaidēs
Publisher: Brepols Publishers
ISBN: 9782503581910
Category : Alchemy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This volume engages in the effort to shed light on Greek alchemy from the 1st century CE to the 18th century, discussing and presenting relative sources, as well as the reception, transformation and use of this 'art'. It also examines newly discovered manuscripts and offers a commented translation of Stephanos of Alexandria?s prayers. Furthermore, it addresses the problems of laboratory replication and chemical explanation of early alchemical processes, and presents educational activities that use historical texts for the reconstruction of apparatuses in the school laboratory.00What do we really know about Greek alchemy throughout the ages? Certain periods, such as the Byzantine and post-Byzantine, have been somewhat overlooked. This volume engages in the effort to shed light on certain aspects of Greek Alchemy from the 1st century CE to the 18th century, discussing and presenting relative sources, as well as the reception, transformation and use of this 'art'. The book also examines newly discovered manuscripts and offers a commented translation of Stephanos of Alexandria?s prayers. Furthermore, to better understand the material aspect of alchemy, it addresses the expectations and problems of laboratory replication and chemical explanation of early alchemical processes, and presents educational activities that use historical texts for the reconstruction of apparatuses in the school laboratory in secondary education.00Efthymios Nicolaidis is director of the History, Philosophy and Didactics of Science and Technology Programme of the Institute of Historical Research / National Hellenic Research Foundation (www.hpdts.gr). He has published about the relations between science and religion, the history of science in Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, and the spread of Modern European science. President of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science (2013-2017), Permanenet Secretary of the International Academy of History of Science (2017- ).

Greek Alchemy from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity

Greek Alchemy from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity PDF Author: E. Nikolaidēs
Publisher: Brepols Publishers
ISBN: 9782503581910
Category : Alchemy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume engages in the effort to shed light on Greek alchemy from the 1st century CE to the 18th century, discussing and presenting relative sources, as well as the reception, transformation and use of this 'art'. It also examines newly discovered manuscripts and offers a commented translation of Stephanos of Alexandria?s prayers. Furthermore, it addresses the problems of laboratory replication and chemical explanation of early alchemical processes, and presents educational activities that use historical texts for the reconstruction of apparatuses in the school laboratory.00What do we really know about Greek alchemy throughout the ages? Certain periods, such as the Byzantine and post-Byzantine, have been somewhat overlooked. This volume engages in the effort to shed light on certain aspects of Greek Alchemy from the 1st century CE to the 18th century, discussing and presenting relative sources, as well as the reception, transformation and use of this 'art'. The book also examines newly discovered manuscripts and offers a commented translation of Stephanos of Alexandria?s prayers. Furthermore, to better understand the material aspect of alchemy, it addresses the expectations and problems of laboratory replication and chemical explanation of early alchemical processes, and presents educational activities that use historical texts for the reconstruction of apparatuses in the school laboratory in secondary education.00Efthymios Nicolaidis is director of the History, Philosophy and Didactics of Science and Technology Programme of the Institute of Historical Research / National Hellenic Research Foundation (www.hpdts.gr). He has published about the relations between science and religion, the history of science in Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, and the spread of Modern European science. President of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science (2013-2017), Permanenet Secretary of the International Academy of History of Science (2017- ).

Early Greek Alchemy, Patronage and Innovation in Late Antiquity

Early Greek Alchemy, Patronage and Innovation in Late Antiquity PDF Author: Olivier Dufault
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1939926122
Category : Alchemists
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
Early Greek Alchemy, Patronage and Innovation in Late Antiquity provides an example of the innovative power of ancient scholarly patronage by looking at a key moment in the creation of the Greek alchemical tradition. New evidence on scholarly patronage under the Roman empire can be garnered by analyzing the descriptions of learned magoi in several texts from the second to the fourth century CE. Since a common use of the term magos connoted flatterer-like figures (kolakes), it is likely that the figures of "learned sorcerers" found in texts such as Lucian's Philopseudes and the apocryphal Acts of Peter captured the notion that some client scholars exerted undue influence over patrons. The first known author of alchemical commentaries, Zosimus of Panopolis (c. 300 CE), presented himself neither as a magos nor as an alchemist. In his treatises, he rather appears as a Christian scholar and the client of a rich woman named Theosebeia. In three polemical letters to his patroness, Zosimus attempted to discredit rival specialists of alchemy by describing them as magoi and demon-worshippers and by equating their techniques with Egyptian temple practice. In a subtler attempt to edge out his competitors, Zosimus pointed to their limited education and suggested that true alchemy could only be acquired by a meticulous interpretation of Greek alchemical texts. Extant evidence thus suggests that alchemical texts were first introduced among other Greek scholarly traditions when Zosimus annexed Egyptian temple rituals into the ambit of paideia thanks to the support and venue provided by his patroness.

Olympiodorus of Alexandria

Olympiodorus of Alexandria PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004466703
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
This is the first collected volume dedicated to Olympiodorus of Alexandria, the last pagan Platonic philosopher at the end of antiquity.

Late Antiquity

Late Antiquity PDF Author: Glen Warren Bowersock
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 9780674511736
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 844

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Book Description
In 11 in-depth essays and over 500 encyclopedia entries, a cast of experts provides fresh perspectives on an era marked by the rise of two world religions, unprecedented upheavals, and the creation of art of enduring glory. 79 illustrations, 16 in color.

Alchemy in Europe

Alchemy in Europe PDF Author: Claudia Kren
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136183205
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Book Description
This comprehensive annotated bibliography, first published in 1990, guides the user helpfully through where to find information on various elements on alchemy when researching. Divided into categories to aid finding the right area of interest, this book forms a unique reference tool.

A Companion to Byzantine Science

A Companion to Byzantine Science PDF Author:
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004414614
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 674

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Book Description
Science in Byzantium has rarely been systematically explored. A first of its kind, this collection of essays highlights the disciplines, achievements, and contexts of Byzantine science across the eleven centuries of the Byzantine empire. After an introduction on science in Byzantium and the 21st century, and a study of Christianization and the teaching of science in Byzantium, it offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the scientific disciplines cultivated in Byzantium, from the exact to the natural sciences, medicine, polemology, and the occult sciences. The volume showcases the diversity and vivacity of the varied scientific endeavours in the Byzantine world across its long history, and aims to bring the field into broader conversations within Byzantine studies, medieval studies, and history of science. Contributors are Fabio Acerbi, Anne-Laurence Caudano, Gonzalo Andreotti Cruz, Katerina Ierodiakonou, Herve Inglebert, Stavros Lazaris, Divna Manolova, Maria K. Papathanassiou, Inmaculada Pérez Martín, Thomas Salmon, Ioannis Telelis, Anne Tihon, Alain Touwaide, Arnaud Zucker.

A Cultural History of Chemistry in Antiquity

A Cultural History of Chemistry in Antiquity PDF Author: Marco Beretta
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781350251472
Category : Chemistry
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This open access bookA Cultural History of Chemistry in Antiquity covers the period from 3000 BCE to 600 CE, ranging across the civilizations of the Mediterranean and Near East. Over this long period, chemical artisans, recipes, and ideas were exchanged between Mesopotamia, Egypt, Phoenicia, Greece, Rome, and Byzantium. The flowering of alchemy in the Middle and Early Modern Ages had its roots in the chemical arts of antiquity. This study presents the first synthesis of this epoch, examining the centrality of intense exchange and interconnectivity to the discovery and development of sources, techniques, materials, and instruments. The 6 volume set of the Cultural History of Chemistry presents the first comprehensive history from the Bronze Age to today, covering all forms and aspects of chemistry and its ever-changing social context. The themes covered in each volume are theory and concepts; practice and experiment; laboratories and technology; culture and science; society and environment; trade and industry; learning and institutions; art and representation. Marco Beretta is Professor of History of Science at the University of Bologna, Italy. Volume 1 in the Cultural History of Chemistry set. General Editors: Peter J. T. Morris, University College London, UK, and Alan Rocke, Case Western Reserve University, USA. The open access edition of this book is available under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the European Research Council.

Greek Science In Antiquity

Greek Science In Antiquity PDF Author: Marshall Clagett
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 1786258579
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Book Description
In this volume I have attempted to give especial and marked attention to the fate of Greek science in late antiquity. Elementary texts in the past have long ignored this aspect of Greek science. The importance of the course of Greek science in late antiquity is evident, for it was during this period that much of the Greek scientific corpus was put into the form in which it passed to the medieval Latin West. We are justified, then, in considering this volume as an introduction to medieval and early modern science—that science being considered as a transformation of Greek science.

Drugs in the Medieval Mediterranean

Drugs in the Medieval Mediterranean PDF Author: Petros Bouras-Vallianatos
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1009389750
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 445

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Book Description
Adopts a pan-Mediterranean approach to the study of medieval medicine and pharmacology, which permits a deeper understanding of broader phenomena such as the transfer of scientific knowledge and cultural exchange. Of great importance to medical historians, medieval historians and scholars of Byzantine, Islamicate, Jewish, and Latin traditions.

Alchemy, Vol. II

Alchemy, Vol. II PDF Author: Lord Beauchamp, PH D
Publisher: Lord Beauchamp, Ph.D.
ISBN:
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Medieval alchemy was a fascinating discipline that emerged during the Middle Ages and persisted until the early modern period. It encompassed a range of practices and beliefs that sought to transform and manipulate matter, particularly in the pursuit of turning base metals into noble metals like gold and silver. However, alchemy was not solely concerned with metallurgy; it also encompassed elements of philosophy, medicine, and spiritual pursuits. During the medieval period, alchemy was deeply rooted in both Greek and Arabic traditions. Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and the Hellenistic alchemist Zosimos of Panopolis influenced early alchemical theories, while Islamic scholars made significant contributions to the field through their translations and commentaries on ancient Greek texts. Alchemy was seen as a secretive and mystical practice, and alchemists often used symbolic language and allegories to convey their knowledge. They believed in the concept of transmutation, which involved the transformation of substances from one form to another. This idea was not limited to metals; alchemists sought to transmute the self and achieve spiritual enlightenment as well. One of the primary goals of alchemy was the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance that was believed to possess transformative powers. It was thought to have the ability to transmute base metals into noble metals and grant eternal life. The quest for the Philosopher's Stone was a central focus of many alchemists during the medieval period. Alchemy also had significant overlaps with early chemistry and medicine. Alchemists developed laboratory techniques, experimental methods, and apparatus that laid the groundwork for modern chemistry. They experimented with various substances, attempting to purify them and create new compounds. These experiments eventually led to advancements in the understanding of chemical processes. Over time, the practice of alchemy gradually evolved into modern chemistry, as scientific methods and approaches gained prominence. The emergence of the scientific method in the 17th century, coupled with the work of figures like Robert Boyle, Antoine Lavoisier, and others, marked a shift away from the mystical and spiritual aspects of alchemy towards a more empirical and evidence-based approach. While alchemy did not achieve its primary goal of turning base metals into gold or discovering the Philosopher's Stone, its legacy can still be seen in the development of chemistry and the understanding of natural processes. It also played a significant role in shaping the philosophical and cultural landscape of the Middle Ages. Alchemists had literally skin in the game, modern day scientists don't.