Page "Ptolemy" Paragraph 5

Perhaps for no other reason than the association of name, the 9th century Persian astronomer Abu Ma ' shar assumed Ptolemy to be member of Egypt's royal lineage, stating that the ten kings of Egypt who followed Alexander were wise " and included Ptolemy the Wise, who composed the book of the Almagest ".

Abu Ma ' shar recorded a belief that a different member of this royal line " composed the book on astrology and attributed it to Ptolemy ".

We can evidence historical confusion on this point from Abu Ma ' shar's subsequent remark “ It is sometimes said that the very learned man who wrote the book of astrology also wrote the book of the Almagest.

The correct answer is not known ”.

There is little evidence on the subject of Ptolemy's ancestry, apart from what can be drawn from the details of his name ( see above ); however modern scholars refer to Abu Ma ’ shar ’ s account as erroneous, and it is no longer doubted that the astronomer who wrote the Almagest also wrote the Tetrabiblos as its astrological counterpart.