Science and medicine in Iran/Central Asia 600–1500

Abstract

Khurasan and Central Asia, which formed the eastern part of the Islamic Empire, were the region from which most scholars came to the new capital Baghdad in the second half of the eighth century and realized the renaissance of the ancient sciences. Throughout the period under consideration, the most important mathematicians, astronomers, astrologers, physicians, and pharmacologists came from this region and were attracted by the gradually emerging centers of power. The best known are al-Khwarazmi (d. ca. 850), Abu Mashar (ca. 886), known as Albumasar, al-Farghani (d. 861), al-Farabi (d. 950), al-Razi (d. 925), known as Rhazes, Ali ibn al-Abbas al-Majusi (d. last quarter of the tenth century), known as Hali Abbas, Ibn Sina (d. 1037), known as Avicenna, al-Biruni (d. ca. 1048), Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (d. 1274), and Ulugh Beg (r. 1447–9). Less well known but very influential were Habash al-Hasib (d. ca. 864), Abu Jafar al-Khazin (d. 971), Abu Nasr Ibn Iraq (ca. 1036), and many others. The most important centers that attracted scholars were Merv, Bukhara, Ghazna, Hamadan, Maragha, and Samarqand.