Science and philosophy of nature in the Byzantine world and in the Renaissance: the Epitome physica by Nikephoros Blemmydes

• Applicant: Dr. Stefano Valente
• Subject Area: Greek and Latin Philology
• Term: from 2013 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 249198632

The Epitome physica ("Compendium of physics") by Nikephoros Blemmydes (1197-after 1269) was one of the most important textbooks on Aristotelian Physics and Natural Philosophy during the Byzantine and post-Byzantine ages. Its impressive influence extends from the years after its compilation up to the Renaissance and the Turcocracy. For centuries, scholars belonging to different cultural environments have interacted with the text of Blemmydes' compendium in manifold ways. During the 15th and 16th century, and up to the publication of the editio princeps in Augsburg (1605), the Epitome physica had significant cultural and scientific influence, as attested by the great number of manuscripts still surviving (more than 50). However, due to the absence of a comprehensive study of this work and its Renaissance reception, its importance is still underestimated.In order to fully outline the textual and cultural tradition of the Epitome physica, its investigation will now be extended to new topics which emerged as essential from the research on the older manuscripts of the Epitome physica conducted during the first funding period. (A monograph of these previous results is currently being prepared for publication.) Furthermore, the final output of the research project will be the first critical edition of the Greek text: it will be based on the complete investigation of the sources of this work as well as of the manuscript tradition, now to be extended the the late 15th and 16th century manuscripts. As a result, the Epitome physica will for the first time be made accessible to a larger audience, and thus be available for further research on Byzantine philosophy and scholarship.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Christian Brockmann