Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari

Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari
ابوالعنباس صیمری
Born	828 Kufa
Academic work
Era	Islamic Golden Age
Main interests	Astrology, poetry

Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari Mohammad b. Eshaq b. Abi'l-'Anbas b. Al-Maghira b. Mahan (ابوالعنباس صیمری) was an Iranian astrologer, poet and author. He was born in 213/828 in Kufa, and died in 275/889. He seems to have spent much of his time at the caliphal court from Motawakkel’s reign (847-61) to Moʿtamed’s (870-92). His great-great-grandfather’s name, and his knowledge of the Sasanian astrologers Zaradūšt and Bozorjmehr, indicates that he was of Iranian origin.

List of known works

• Ketāb al-radd ʿala’l-monaǰǰemīn (Book of the Refutation of Astrologers), lost;
• Ketāb aḥkām al-noǰūm (Book of Judgements of the Stars), lost;
• Ketāb al-madḵal elā ṣanāʿat al-tanǰīm (Book of the Introduction to the Art of Astrology), perhaps identical with no. 5;
• Ketāb al-mawālīd (Book of Nativities), lost;
• Ketāb al-madḵal elā ʿelm al-noǰūm (Book of the Introduction to the Science of the Stars);
• Ketāb fi’l-ḥesāb al-noǰūmī (Book on Stellar Computation);
• Al-Zīǰ.