Abu Said Ubaud Allah Ibn Bakhitshu's Ibn Bakhtishu's Manafi' al-Hayawan is an illustrated bestiary in the Persian language. The Bakhtshooa Gondishapoori (also spelled Bukhtishu and Bukht-Yishu) were Assyrian Nestorian Christian physicians from the 7th; 8th; and 9th centuries; spanning 6 generations and 250 years. Some of them served as the personal physicians of Caliphs. Like all physicians in the Abbasid courts; they came from the Academy of Gundishapur in Persia (in modern-day southwestern Iran). They were well versed in the Greek and Hindi sciences; including those of Plato; Aristotle; Pythagoras; and Galen; which they aided in translating while working in Gondeshapur. Yahya al-Barmaki; the vizier and mentor to Harun al-Rashid; provided patronage to the academy and hospital in Gondeshapur helped assure the promotion and growth of astronomy; medicine; and philosophy; not only in Persia but also in the Abbasid empire in general.