Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari

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.

Works

1. Ketāb al-radd ʿala’l-monaǰǰemīn (“Book of the refutation of astrologers”), lost.
2. Ketāb aḥkām al-noǰūm (“Book of judgements of the stars”), lost.
3. Ketāb al-madḵal elā ṣanāʿat al-tanǰīm (“Book of the introduction to the art of astrology”), perhaps identical with no. 5.
4. Ketāb al-mawālīd (“Book of nativities”), lost.
5. Ketāb al-madḵal elā ʿelm al-noǰūm (“Book of the introduction to the science of the stars”)
6. Ketāb fi’l-ḥesāb al-noǰūmī (“Book on stellar computation”).
7. al-Zīǰ (“Astronomical tables”)