Ovanes Imastaser

(Ioann Sarkavag). Born circa 1045–55; died 1129. Armenian scholar, philosopher, theologian, and poet. Reformer of the Armenian calendar.

Ovanes Imastaser wrote a considerable number of philosophical, theological, mathematical, didactic, historical, and natural-science works. His major contribution was the editing of the translated works of classical and medieval authors, including Philo Judaeus (Philo of Alexandria), Dionysius the Areopagite, Gregory of Nyssa, Aristotle, and Porphyry. In his analysis of philosophical problems he continued the traditions of Aristoteleianism.