Josias Simmler
Encyclopedia
Josias Simmler (6 November 1530 – 2 July 1576), was a Swiss
theologian and classicist, author of the first book relating solely to the Alps
.
(Canton of Zürich), he was born at Kappel
, where his father was the Protestant pastor and schoolmaster till his death in 1557. In 1544 Simmler went to Zürich
to continue his education under his godfather, the reformer, Heinrich Bullinger
. After having completed his studies at Basel
and Strasbourg
, he returned to Zürich, and became pastor to the neighboring villages.
In 1552 he was made professor of New Testament
exegesis
at the Zurich Academy (Carolinum), and in 1560 became professor of theology
. In. 1559 he had his first attack of gout
, a complaint which finally killed him. In 1555 he published a new edition of Conrad Gessner's
Epitome of his Bibliotheca universalis
(a list of all authors who had written in Greek
, Latin
or Hebrew
), a new edition of the Bibliotheca itself, and in 1575 an annotated edition of the Antonine Itinerary.
. With this view he collected materials, and in 1574 published a specimen of his intended work in the shape of a monograph on the Canton of the Valais
. He published in the same volume a general description of the Alps, as the Introduction to his projected work on the several Swiss Cantons. In this treatise, entitled De Alpibus commentarius, he collected all that the classical authors had written on the Alps, adding a good deal of material collected from his friends and correspondents. This Commentarius is the first work exclusively devoted to the Alps, and sums up the knowledge of that region possessed in the 16th century.
It was re-published by the Elzevirs at Leiden in 1633, and again at Zürich in 1735, while an elaborate annotated edition (prepared by Mr Coolidge), with French translation, notes and appendices, appeared at Grenoble
in 1904. Another fragment of his vast plan was the work entitled De Helvetiorum republica, which appeared at Zürich in 1576, just before his death. It was regarded as the chief authority on Swiss constitutional matters up to 1798.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
theologian and classicist, author of the first book relating solely to the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
.
Life
The son of the former prior of the Cistercian convent of KappelKappel
Kappel is a municipality in the district of Olten in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-History:Kappel is first mentioned in 1260 as Capella. In 1312 it was mentioned as Nydern Capellen to distinguish it from the village of Oberkappelen which it today Kestenholz.-Geography:Kappel has an area,...
(Canton of Zürich), he was born at Kappel
Kappel
Kappel is a municipality in the district of Olten in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-History:Kappel is first mentioned in 1260 as Capella. In 1312 it was mentioned as Nydern Capellen to distinguish it from the village of Oberkappelen which it today Kestenholz.-Geography:Kappel has an area,...
, where his father was the Protestant pastor and schoolmaster till his death in 1557. In 1544 Simmler went to Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
to continue his education under his godfather, the reformer, Heinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger
Heinrich Bullinger was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Zurich church and pastor at Grossmünster...
. After having completed his studies at Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, he returned to Zürich, and became pastor to the neighboring villages.
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
at the Zurich Academy (Carolinum), and in 1560 became professor of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. In. 1559 he had his first attack of gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
, a complaint which finally killed him. In 1555 he published a new edition of Conrad Gessner's
Conrad Gessner
Conrad Gessner was a Swiss naturalist and bibliographer. His five-volume Historiae animalium is considered the beginning of modern zoology, and the flowering plant genus Gesneria is named after him...
Epitome of his Bibliotheca universalis
Bibliotheca universalis
Bibliotheca universalis was the first truly comprehensive "universal" listing of all the books of the first century of printing...
(a list of all authors who had written in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
or Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
), a new edition of the Bibliotheca itself, and in 1575 an annotated edition of the Antonine Itinerary.
Contributions to Swiss studies
About 1551 he conceived the idea of making his native land better known by translating into Latin parts of the great Chronik of Johann StumpfJohann Stumpf
Johann Stumpf may refer to:*Johann Stumpf , 16th century Swiss writer*Johann Stumpf , 19th century German engineer...
. With this view he collected materials, and in 1574 published a specimen of his intended work in the shape of a monograph on the Canton of the Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
. He published in the same volume a general description of the Alps, as the Introduction to his projected work on the several Swiss Cantons. In this treatise, entitled De Alpibus commentarius, he collected all that the classical authors had written on the Alps, adding a good deal of material collected from his friends and correspondents. This Commentarius is the first work exclusively devoted to the Alps, and sums up the knowledge of that region possessed in the 16th century.
It was re-published by the Elzevirs at Leiden in 1633, and again at Zürich in 1735, while an elaborate annotated edition (prepared by Mr Coolidge), with French translation, notes and appendices, appeared at Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
in 1904. Another fragment of his vast plan was the work entitled De Helvetiorum republica, which appeared at Zürich in 1576, just before his death. It was regarded as the chief authority on Swiss constitutional matters up to 1798.
Works
- De aeterno Dei filio. Zurich, 1568 (VD 16VD 16The Verzeichnis der im deutschen Sprachbereich erschienenen Drucke des 16. Jahrhunderts , abbreviated VD 16, is a project to make a retrospective German national bibliography for the sixteenth century. The project was compiled during the period 1969-1999...
S 6498). - De Republica Helvetiorum Libri duo. Zurich: Christoph Froschauer, 1576 (VD 16 S 6510).
- De Republica Helvetiorum Libri duo. Zurich, 1577 (VD 16 S 6511).
- Regiment Gemeiner loblicher Eydgnoschafft. Zurich, 1576 (VD16 S 6512)
- Vita clarissimi philosophi et medici excellentissimi Conradi Gesneri. Zurich, 1566 (VD16 S 6520).
- Vallesiae descriptio, libri duo: de alpibus commentarius. Zurich, 1574 (VD16 S 6519).
External links
- http://www.digital-collections.de/index.html?c=autoren_index&l=en&ab=Simmler%2C+JosiasWorks of Simmler in the Munich Digitization CenterMunich Digitization CenterMunich Digitization Center is an institution dedicated to digitalization, Online publication and the long-term archival preservation of the holdings of the Bavarian State Library and other cultural heritage institutions. It was founded in 1997 under the leadership of Mark Brantl...
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