George Pachymeres

George Pachymeres, who lived from 1242 to about 1310, was a Byzantine historian, philosopher, music theorist and writer born in Nicaea who served as chief advocate and chief justice of the imperial court. He studied at the University of Constantinople under George Akropolites and later taught there himself, mentoring the scholar Maximus Planudes, and his most significant work was a thirteen book history continuing Akropolites's own account from 1261 to 1308, covering the reigns of Michael VIII and Andronicus II Palaiologos. He also wrote rhetorical exercises on philosophical subjects, summaries of Aristotelian philosophy, paraphrases of the writings attributed to Pseudo-Dionysius, and a Quadrivium treatise on arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy still valued for its record of medieval music and astronomy.