Routledge Revival: Planetary Astronomy in Carolingian Europe

Explore the history of medieval science with this Routledge Revival title. Before Greco-Arabic mathematical astronomy arrived in the 12th century, the medieval West possessed its own unique understanding of the heavens. This book investigates what was known about the five planets during the Carolingian and Post-Carolingian periods. While scholars have long recognized developments in computus for Christian calendars and monastic time-telling, this work looks deeper into the scientific landscape of the era. Bruce Eastwood examines the evidence found within early manuscripts to reconstruct the astronomical knowledge of the time. By analyzing glosses, commentaries, and diagrams from four classical Latin authors - Pliny, Macrobius, Martianus Capella, and Calcidius - this text provides a clear view of how planetary science functioned in Europe. It is an essential resource for those studying the history of European science, medieval manuscripts, and the evolution of astronomical thought.