List of Byzantine scholars

This is a list of important scientists and scholars from the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire was a powerful ancient state that lasted from about the year 330 to 1453. Many smart people lived during this time and made big discoveries in areas like science, math, and medicine. Their work helped shape the world we live in today. Studying these scholars helps us learn about the amazing ideas and knowledge people had long ago.

Before the 9th century

Most important scholars known before the Macedonian Renaissance were active under the Justinian dynasty. They included:

• Theon of Alexandria (335–405), mathematician
• Hypatia (370–415), mathematician, astronomer, philosopher
• Anthemius of Tralles (c. 474–before 558), mathematician and architect of Hagia Sophia
• Eutocius of Ascalon (c. 480–c. 540), mathematician
• John Philoponus (490–570), mathematician, physicist, theologian
• Isidore of Miletus (6th century), mathematician, physicist and architect of Hagia Sophia
• Cassianus Bassus (6th–7th century), author of Geoponika
• Leontios (died 706), emperor, astronomer, mathematician and engineer
• George of Pisidia (6th–7th century), scholar, zoologist and astronomer
• Timotheos of Gaza (6th–7th century), zoologist
• Stephen of Byzantium (6th–7th century), geographer
• Paul of Aegina (7th century), physician
• Callinicus of Heliopolis (7th century), architect; invented the Greek fire
• Stephen of Alexandria (7th century), mathematician and astronomer
• Theophilus Protospatharius (7th century), physician

The Macedonian Renaissance

The Macedonian Renaissance was a time of learning and growth that happened during the rule of the Macedonian dynasty from 867 to 1056.

Many smart people lived during this time, like Leo the Mathematician, Georgios Monachos, Photius I of Constantinople who studied Greek ideas, Saint Cyril the Philosopher, Constantine VII, Michael Psellus, Michael Attaliates, Symeon Seth, Leo VI, and Arethas of Caesarea who was an important church leader and teacher.

The Komnenian period and after

The Komnenian period lasted from 1081 to around 1185. During this time, many important scholars lived and worked. Some of these scholars include Anna Comnena, who lived from 1083 to 1153, and Theodore Prodromos, who wrote books and poems and lived around 1100 to about 1165 or 1170. Other notable figures are Eustathius of Thessalonica, Michael of Ephesus, a philosopher who studied physics, and Michael Glykas, who was a mathematician and astronomer. Historians like Joannes Zonaras, John Kinnamos, Niketas Choniates, and Nikephoros Blemmydes also made important contributions during this period.

The Palaiologian Renaissance

The Palaiologian Renaissance happened around the same time as the Renaissance of the 12th century. The Palaiologos dynasty ruled from about 1260 to 1453. Many Greek scholars helped start this renaissance, and their work also influenced Western Europe.

Some of these scholars included:

• Demetrios Pepagomenos (1200–1300), who studied animals, plants, and medicines
• George Akropolites (1220–1282), who studied the stars
• Gregory Chioniades (died 1302), who worked with numbers and the stars
• Manuel Holobolos (1230–1305), a teacher and learner
• George Pachymeres (1242–1310)
• Manuel Moschopoulos (13th–beginning of the 14th century) who studied language rules
• Constantinos Lykites (13th–14th century), who studied the stars
• John Pediasimos (13th–14th century), who worked with numbers
• Nikephoros Choumnos (c. 1250/55–1327), a scholar who studied weather and natural science
• Maximus Planudes (1260–c. 1305), who studied language and religion
• Theodore Metochites (1270–1332), a doctor and math expert
• Barlaam of Seminara (c. 1290–1348), who worked with numbers and the stars
• Nicephorus Gregoras (1295–1359/60), who studied numbers and the stars
• Demetrius Triclinius (before c. 1300), a language expert who also knew about the stars
• Thomas Magister (14th century), who studied language rules
• Theodore of Melitene (1320–1393), who studied the stars
• Isaac Argyros (1310–1372), who worked with numbers and the stars
• John VI Kantakouzenos (reigned 1347–1355), a writer about history
• Manuel Chrysoloras (c. 1355–1415), who translated books and studied thinking and learning
• Joannes Chortasmenos (1370–1437), a scholar who worked with numbers and the stars