Abraham bar Hiyya Ha-Nasi
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Abraham bar Hiyya Ha-Nasi (Abraham son of [Rabbi] Hiyya the Prince/President) (1070 - 1136) was a Spanish Jewish mathematician and astronomer, also known as Savasorda (from the Arabic Sâhib as-Shurta).
He lived in Barcelona; and is remembered in the world of mathematics, for his role in the dissemination of the quadratic equation. Bar Hiyya wrote several scientific works in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, land surveying and calendar calculations
He also wrote two religious works in the field of Judaism and the Hebrew Bible: Hegyon ha-Nefesh ("Contemplation of [the] Soul") on repentance and Megillat ha-Megalleh on the redemption of the Jewish people. Even these religious works contain scientific and philosophical speculation.
Bar Hiyya wrote all his works in Hebrew, not in Judaeo-Arabic of the earlier Jewish scientific literature, which makes him a pioneer in the use of the Hebrew language for scientific purposes. He also co-operated with Plato of Tivoli in the translation of scientific works from Arabic into Latin.
His Megillat ha-Megalleh ("Scroll of the Revealer") was also astrological in nature. It claimed to forecast the messianic future.
See also
External links
- MacTutor biography (http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Abraham.html)
- PDF biography (http://www.abo.fi/~htoyryla/abh.pdf)