Andalo di Negro

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Andalo di Negro

fl. 1320s

Italian astronomer and astrologer, much admired by the writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), whose work occupied a position somewhere between science and pseudo-science. In 1323 Andalo wrote Canones super almanach profati, in which he discussed the astronomical tables put forth by Jacob ben Tibbon (1236-1312) in the Luhot. But he also promoted "astrological medicine," the belief that a physician could determine the nature and future course of an illness by studying planetary positions. He did, however, admit that the horoscope of the patient would be of little help because it would be virtually impossible to determine the exact hour of birth.