Juan Badiano facts for kids
Juan Badiano (born in 1484, his death year is unknown) was a smart scholar from Mexico. He is famous for translating a very important book about plants and medicines used by the Aztecs. This book, called Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis, was originally written around 1552 in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Juan Badiano translated it into Latin.
Contents
Who Was Juan Badiano?
Juan Badiano was born in a place called Xochimilco, which is now part of Mexico City. He was a very talented student and later became a teacher of Latin. He taught at a school in Tlatelolco, which was an important Aztec city.
His Education and Skills
Juan Badiano went to school in Tlatelolco, where he was an outstanding student. He learned Latin very well, which was a difficult language to master back then. This skill was very important for his future work. He attended the school with another important person named Martin de la Cruz.
The Important Book: Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis
The book Juan Badiano translated was a huge collection of information about 250 different medicinal plants. These plants were used by the Aztec people for their health and healing.
Who Wrote the Original Book?
The original information for this book was put together by Martin de la Cruz. He was also an Indigenous person who had been given a Christian name. He gathered all the knowledge about these plants and their uses.
Why Was This Book Special?
This book is a very important historical document. It shows how advanced the Aztecs were in their understanding of medicine and healing. It proves that they had a lot of knowledge about plants and how to use them to treat illnesses. Juan Badiano's translation made this valuable knowledge available to people who spoke Latin, helping to share Aztec wisdom with the wider world.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Badiano y Martín de la Cruz para niños
