Jacob ben Machir ibn Tibbon

Jacob ben Machir ibn Tibbon (* 1236 probably in Marseille; † around 1307 in Montpellier), grandson of Samuel ibn Tibbon, was a Jewish author, translator and astronomer from the family of Ibn Tibbon.

He invented a new astronomical instrument, a variant of the quadrant, which he called Quadrans Judaicus ( " Jewish " quadrant ). The inventor describes this instrument in 1288 in a Hebrew treatise, of which three versions exist as well as a Latin translation ( by Petrus de Dacia). As a translator, Jacob transferred numerous works of philosophy, mathematics and astronomy from Arabic into Hebrew. During the Maimonidesstreits he held a leading role in the defense of Maimonides.