On the Diffusion of Zoological Knowledge in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine Period

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The “Diffusion of Zoological Knowledge in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine Period” explores the adaptation of a longstanding zoological tradition rooted in Aristotle's biological works. Authors from these eras engage with, transform, and enhance traditional zoological knowledge, tailoring it to new social, political, and cultural contexts. This ancient knowledge becomes a focal point of Christian discourse, emphasizing a hermeneutic approach that prioritizes moral and symbolic interpretations over direct observations of the natural world. This volume presents eight case studies stemming from an international conference of the Zoomathia research network at the University of Trier in October 2019. The papers analyze Greek, Latin, and Arabic texts from the 2nd century CE, starting with the Physiologus and Solinus, and concluding with al-Marwaz and Bartholomew of Messina in the 12th and 13th centuries, respectively. Contributions include discussions on the allegorical hermeneutics of the Greek Physiologus, the scientific transfer between Aristotle and the Bible in Basil of Caesarea’s homilies, and the role of zoological knowledge in the works of various authors, reflecting the rich interplay between zoology and ideology during this transformative period.