John Argyropoulos

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John Argyropoulos was a Byzantine lecturer, philosopher and humanist during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.

Born in 1415 in Constantinople. He translated Greek philosophical and theological works into Latin besides producing rhetorical and theological works in his own. He divided his time between Italy and Constantinople. When Constantinople fell in 1453 he left it for the Peloponnesus and in 1456 took refuge in Italy. Actually he was an official in the service of one of the rulers of the Byzantine Morea and he was sent to Italy on a diplomatic mission.

Argyropoulos studied theology and philosophy in Constantinople. As a teacher there, Argyropoulos had among his pupils the scholar Constantine Lascaris. After the total fall of the Byzantine Empire (Fall of Moreas) Argyropoulos moved permanently to Italy (Padua) and worked as a teacher in the universities of Padua, Florence and Rome. He taught Greek philosophy, literature and poetry. He also gave his efforts to transporting Greek philosophy to Western Europe. He had students such as Pietro de' Medici and Lorenzo de' Medici. It is well known that students hailing from different parts of Europe came to see and hear him at those classes, when he taught Greek and philosophy courses. Leonardo da Vinci probably attended the lectures of Argyropoulos. This conclusion is based on researches such as: a) Deno Geanakoplos in Constantinople and the West: Essays on the Late Byzantine (Paleologan) and Italian Renaissances and the Byzantine and Roman Churches, 1989, b) Fotis Vassileiou and Barbara Saribalidou in "John Argyropoulos teacher of Leonardo Da Vinci", Philosophy Pathways 117, 2006, c) Charles Nicholl, Leonardo Da Vinci: The Flights of the Mind, 2005, d) Fotis Vassileiou & Barbara Saribalidou, "Short Biographical Lexicon of Byzantine Academics Immigrants to Western Europe", 2007, Generally we can say that he was a teacher of Ancient Greek philosophy and a member of the Byzantine delegation to the Council of Ferrara-Florence. He left a number of Latin translations, including many of Aristotle's works, but his real importance lies in his work as a teacher in Italy. He died on June 26, 1487 (in Papal States, Italy).

[edit] References and Bibliography

Encyclopaedia Britannica, “John Argyropoulos”(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9002279)
Geanakoplos, Deno J., “Constantinople and the West : Essays on the Late Byzantine (Palaeologan) and Italian Renaissances and the Byzantine and Roman Churches”, University of Wisconsin Press, 1989, ISBN 0-299-11884-3
Geankakoplos, Deno J., 'A Byzantine looks at the Renaissance', Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies
[Harris, Jonathan, 'Byzantines in Renaissance Italy', in Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies – http://the-orb.net/encyclop/late/laterbyz/harris-ren.html]
Fotis Vassileiou & Barbara Saribalidou, Short Biographical Lexicon of Byzantine Academics Immigrants to Western Europe, 2007, ISBN 978-960-930-275-3
Nicholl Charles, “Leonardo Da Vinci: The Flights of the Mind”, Penguin Books Ltd, 2005, ISBN 0-14-029681-6
Vassileiou Fotis, Saribalidou Barbara, 'John Argyropoulos teacher of Leonardo Da Vinci', Philosophy Pathways Issue 117, 19 May 2006, International Society for Philosophers
Vassileiou, Fotis & Saribalidou, Barbara, Short Biographical Lexicon of Byzantine Academics Immigrants in Western Europe, 2007.