World's Oldest University

I might have been confusing Salerno with Arab-ruled Palermo (Arabic name, Balharm) -- or not. Palermo (Sicily) was said to have rivalled Arab-run Cordoba in splendor - but I could find nothing specific about schools established by Muslims in Palermo. The present University of Palermo has no link to Arab times - it was officially founded in 1806, with roots going back to 1498.

More likely - I was just "misinformed" - i.e. plain wrong. From Casablanca:

Captain Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed. :smile:

J.

 

So American colleges and universities AREN'T the best bastions of free thinking and speech, then?

 

Well worlds oldest university locates in Turkey-Harran city. Also new ancient historical discoveries in Nusaybin ( same as Harran. İt locates in Turkey ) started new argument about which one is older.

 

It's a lot better than the rather uninspired translations into English. Olmak ya da olmamak, işte bütün mesele bu!

 

Ah hayatım. Talihsiz Yorick. Ben onu iyi biliyordu. (Mustafa Marlowe)

J.

 

Yes - scholars in Harran, 8th-9th century. No mention of a University or equivalent per se, but... :question: :question: From Wiki:

"During the late 8th and 9th centuries Harran was a centre for translating works of astronomy, philosophy, natural sciences, and medicine from Greek to Syriac by Assyrians, and thence to Arabic, bringing the knowledge of the classical world to the emerging Arabic-speaking civilization in the south. Baghdad came to this work later than Harran. Many important scholars of natural science, astronomy, and medicine originate from Harran; they were non-Arab and non-Islamic ethnic Assyrians, including possibly the alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān."

J.