R. Jacob ben Abba Mari Samson Anatoli was a physician, homilist, and translator. He married a daughter of R. Samuel ibn Tibbon. At the suggestion of friends in Narbonne and Beziers, R. Anatoli began translating Arabic works on astronomy and logic into Hebrew. However, before completing them, he left France for Naples where he is mentioned in 1231. There Emperor Frederick II employed him as a physician and enabled him to devote himself to scholarly work. In Naples R. Anatoli became a close associate of another favorite of the emperor, the learned Michael Scot, who had translated works by Aristotle and Averroes from Arabic into Latin. It is doubtful that Anatoli assisted Scot in his translations, as some scholars maintain. Anatoli translated Averroes' Intermediate Commentary on the first five books of Aristotle's Logic; the Almagest of Ptolemy; and the astronomical work of al-Farghani (Elements of Astronomy); the Compendium of the Almagest by Averroes. Other translations have been erroneously ascribed to R. Anatoli. He was also an active preacher. In his discourses, R. Anatoli employs allegorical and philosophical exegesis. Generally, he followed Maimonides, and his sharp public rebuke of the latter's detractors made him many enemies. This was, probably, one of the reasons which caused him to leave France. In Naples he also encountered opposition.

"נתתי את לבי לדרוש ולחקור קצת כתבי התורה ושאר כתבי הקדש ... הסכמתי לדרוש מעט ברבים בכל שבת ושבת ... וראיתי לחלק דברי הערה אלה על מחלוקת הפרשיות" (דף [10], ב). על הספר: ,Israel Bettan, The sermons of Jacob Anatoli-HUCA, XI .1936, p 391-424 הסכמה: ר' שלמה קלוגער, בראדי, כט סיון [תרכ"ו].