Medieval Lives 10: Pietro d'Abano

Human Circus: Journeys in the Medieval World

Born in the 13th century, Pietro d'Abano was referred to variously as “the Great Lombard,” “the Conciliator,” and, in at least one case, a “great necromancer.” This scholar and physician faced various troubles relating to heresy or sorcery, and stories swirl around him of calling on demons or magically making spent coins return to his purse.

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Sources:

• Browning, Robert. The Complete Works of Robert Browning. Ohio University Press, 2007.
• Garin, Eugenio. History of Italian Philosophy, Volume 1. Translated by Giorgio Pinton. Rodopi, 2008.
• Hasse, Dag Nikolaus. "Pietro d'Abano's 'Conciliator' and the Theory of the Soul in Paris," After the Condemnation of 1277: Philosophy and Theology at the University of Paris in the Last Quarter of the Thirteenth Century. Edited by Jan A. Aertsen, Kent Emery, and Andreas Speer. Walter de Gruyter, 2013.
• Prioreschi, Plinio. A History of Medicine: Medieval Medicine. Horatius Press, 1996.
• Tafu, Pedro. Pero Tafur: Travels and Adventures (1435-1439). Translated and edited with an introduction by Malcolm Letts. Harper & brothers, 1926.
• Thorndike, Lynn. A History of Magic and Experimental Science Volume 2. Columbia University Press, 1923.
• Touwaide, Alain. "Pietro d'Abano, De venenis: Reintroducing Greek Toxicology in Late Medieval Medicine." Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Edited by Philip Wexler. Academic Press, 2017.

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