Arab transmission of Greek learning
Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
Monks and clergy in Europe knew some Greek and Roman writings during the 'Middle Ages', but these were not widely known. Arab translators preserved and translated old manuscripts of Greek thinkers. In the fourteenth century, European scholars read Plato and Aristotle in these translations. Arabic and Persian works on science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine and chemistry also reached Europe. Because history was first written from a Europe-centred view, this debt was long ignored.
Example
In Arabic, Plato was called Aflatun and Aristotle was called Aristu. Ptolemy's Almagest, a Greek work on astronomy written before 140 CE, carries the Arabic word 'al' ('the'), which shows it came to Europe through Arabic. Scholars such as Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and al-Razi (Rhazes) were respected in Italy.
Don't confuse with
- Direct Greek survival: the idea that Europe kept Greek learning by itself. Much of it actually reached Europe through Arabic translations.