Eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades eratosthenes argument ii eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades eratosthenes argument iii eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades how long is a stade. This population level might have been sustained from 300 bce to 250 ce. Life of eratosthenes, ancient greek alexandrian scholar, native of cyrene and one of the greatest geographers in antiquity. His primary duties were to serve as a scholar and manage the affairs of the library. Eratosthenes 276195 bce was an ancient greek alexandrian scholar, native of cyrene, who attained distinction in many fields including philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and history.
This article was the winning article in the 2005 competition for best history of mathematics article by a student, sponsored by the history of mathematics sigmaa of the mathematical association of america. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Nicholas nicastro explores the history of the idea of the circumference of the globe. Eratosthenes was born in the greek colony of cyrene, now libya. Feb 14, 2020 eratosthenes, in full eratosthenes of cyrene, born c. Eratosthenes was educated in philosophy and mathematics in athens. The greek scholar of natural history eratosthenes of cyrene ca.
He is best known for correctly calculating the circumference of the earth and the tilt of its axis, and for making the first world map with latitude lines. C the son of aglaos, he studied with the grammarian lysanias in cyrene and perhaps with the poet callimachus in alexandria and eratosthenes achieved early renown as a poet. Eratosthenes, greek scholar, scientist, and mathematician, is chiefly remembered for devising and performing the first measurement of the circumference of the earth, and for inventing the algorithm known as the sieve of eratosthenes. Various arguments were made later in the comments about whether north african counted as black. For several decades, he served as the director of the famous library in alexandria. He studied under the stoic philosopher zeno, ariston, lysanias, and the poetphilosopher callimachus. It is a journey that starts with questions raised by an ancient greek named eratosthenes, about whom we learn a great deal more than his discovery of circumference, and doesnt end until almost two thousand years later. Jay bregman is professor emeritus in the department of history at the university of maine. This work is said to have been in five books and formed the basis of the.
The great mathematician eratosthenes was born in cyrene, north africa now shahhat, libya, in about 285 b. Jews and greeks in ancient cyrene studies in judaism in late antiquity shimon. Cyrene was originally a greek colony rounded by battus in 630 bc. Eratosthenes was a greek astronomer, mathematician, poet and geographer, he was born in 276bc in the greek colony of cyrene, libya. Eratosthenes spent most of his career at the worldrenowned library of alexandria. During his tenure at the great library, eratosthenes wrote a treatise centering on the topic of the world. Eratosthenes of cyrene article about eratosthenes of cyrene.
Jan 24, 2010 this is the first modern edition and first english translation of one of the earliest and most important works in the history of geography, the thirdcentury geographika of eratosthenes. View ancient cyrene history research papers on academia. Eratosthenes was an ancient greek scientist born in the town of cyrene in about 276 bc. Cyrene, then a greek city, is now the town of shahhat in libya. Because of the fertility of the soil, the great variety in climate and vegetation. In the third century bce, the brilliant librarian eratosthenes of cyrene 276195 bce devised an ingenious method by which to measure the circumference. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this eratosthenes of cyrene study guide and get instant access to the following biography. A man of many talents, eratosthenes was a librarian, geographer, mathemati cian.
Some sources claim that eratosthenes intentionally starved himself to death after going. The story captured me and brought me into 1st century israel. The gift of eratosthenes of cyrene if, good friend, thou mindset to obtain from any small cube a cube the double of it, and. Eratosthenes biography childhood, life achievements. Specify between which dates you want to search, and what keywords you are looking for. Cyrene is what we would today recognize as libya, and there he earned a great deal of fame due. Eratosthenes was appointed to the prominent position around the age of 40. He is the first person in history to have calculated the circumference of the earth. Cyrene was originally a greek colony rounded by battus in 630 b. He invented the discipline of geography, including the terminology used today.
In this work, which for the first time described the geography of the entire inhabited world as it was then known, eratosthenes of kyrene ca. African studies american studies ancient near east and egypt art history asian studies book history and cartography biblical studies classical studies education history jewish studies literature and cultural studies languages and linguistics media. Eratosthenes of cyrene mactutor history of mathematics. Eratosthenes was the first person to use the word geography and other geographical terms that are still in use today. He headed the library at alexandria after the death of callimachus and studied many branches of ancient science. Sieve of eratosthenes, systematic procedure for finding prime numbers that begins by arranging all of the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, in numerical order. Chief among these is the calculation of the circumference of the earth and the development of a mathematical sieve named after him. The chapters in this book reflect a halfcentury of outstanding scholarship on the ancient world. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. The son of aglaos, eratosthenes was born in 276 bc in cyrene. Eratosthenes definition, greek mathematician and astronomer at alexandria. He is best known for being the first person to calculate the circumference of the earth, which he did by comparing angles of the midday sun at two places, a known northso.
Rather than specializing in any one field, he produced scholarship in philology, geography, mathematics, philosophy, and chronography, as well as. His teachers included the scholar lysanias of cyrene and the philosopher ariston of chios who had studied under zeno, the founder of the stoic school of philosophy. Eratosthenes erected a column at alexandria with an epigram inscribed on it relating to his own mechanical solution to the problem of doubling the cube. Eratosthenes of cyrene a versatile scholar, eratosthenes of cyrene lived approximately 275195 bc. Because of the fertility of the soil, the great variety in climate and vegetation, together with its commercial advantages in location, the city soon rose to great wealth and importance. Eratosthenes was born in cyrene, a prosperous greek citystate in north africa modernday libya, about 276 b. In 236 bce, the chief librarian of the famous library of alexandria in egypt died. He was the third chief librarian of the great library of alexandria, where he lived and studied for most of his life. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. He inventit the discipline o geografie, includin the terminology uised the day.
He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the library of alexandria. He wis a man o learin, acomin the chief leebrarian at the leebrar o alexandria. This is the first modern edition and first english translation o. This is because he was considered the second best in so many fields. Cyrenes chief local export through much of its early history was the medicinal herb silphium, used as an abortifacient. His work is comparable to what is now known as the study of geography, and he introduced some of the terminology still used today. Dec 30, 2010 the intramural area of cyrene is of about 110 hectares, which means that the city had room for 10,000 people.
Also known as eratosthenes of cyrene 276 bc194 bc was a greek theorist, mathematician, geographer, astronomer and poet. Eratosthenes of cyrene was a greek mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theorist. Eratosthenes wrote a geographica based on his calculations of the circumference of the earth. The chapters range from early greek colonization in the sixth. Eratosthenes also studied under the poet and scholar callimachus who had also been born in cyrene. Eratosthenes mathematician born 276 bc cyrene died 194 bc alexandria nationality greek eratosthenes was a mathematician from ancient greece.
May 25, 2012 well, euclid is euclid of alexandria which is in egypt of course and eratosthenes was born in cyrene modern libya. He took time out to perform some writing and the end result would be among the most important works produced in world history. So i dont think its erroneous to say they were black mathematicians. Such was the volume of knowledge compiled thereafter that strabos geography, published three centuries later, comprised 17 volumes. Eratosthenes the reader wiki, reader view of wikipedia. Eratosthenes was born in north africa the town of cyrene. The characters were believable, engaging and dynamic. He was born in a city in africa called cyrene, and he lived here during his life as well. Eratosthenes mathematician biography, contributions and. This is the first modern edition and first english translation of one of the earliest and most important works in the history of geography, the thirdcentury geographika of eratosthenes.
Eratosthenes was a man of many perspectives and investigated the art of poetry under callimachus. One of the students of the great poet callimachus of cyrene was eratosthenes of cyrene c. Oconner 1 he would go on to live in athens, greece and then alexandria, where he was named librarian of the royal library of alexandria. Eratosthenes of cyrene in brills companion to ancient. Life and career facts eratosthenes was the third librarian at the famous library of alexandria. Eratosthenes of cyrene classics oxford bibliographies.
He was the first to estimate accurately the diameter of the earth. Cyrene was an ancient greek and later roman city near presentday shahhat, libya. Eratosthenes biography famous people in history, famous. Jews and greeks in ancient cyrene studies in judaism in late. Eratosthenes simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Eratosthenes was one of the great scholars of antiquity. Greater fame, however, came to it through its distinguished citizens. Open culture scours the web for the best educational media. The accomplishments of eratosthenes are revered today and reflect his powerful intellect in the use of mathematics to make accurate measurements and determinations.
This was not the first such measurement, but it is the earliest for which significant details are preserved. Now part of modernday libya, cyrene had been founded by greeks centuries earlier and became the capital of pentapolis north africa, a country of five cities. Eratosthenes of cyrene 276 194 bc was a 3rd century bc greek mathematician, geographer and astronomer. Eratosthenes of cyrene 276 bc194 bc was a third century bc greek mathematician, geographer and astronomer. He was also active in the fields of astronomy, geography, music, and poetry.
If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Eratosthenes biography life of greek mathematician. Jan 02, 2010 demosthenes, volume 4 ancient greek edition demosthenes on. This picture book covers the life of eratosthenes of cyrene, a geographer who estimated the circumference of the earth in around 200 b. Greek scholar and scientist eratosthenes was educated in alexandria and athens. Read and learn for free about the following article. The population that cyrene had, is just a matter of speculation, but 5,000 people is a likely guess for a city located at the margin of the greek world. The greek ruler of egypt decided to bring him to alexandria to tutor his son. Eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades eratosthenes correction. The greeks were the earliest discoverers of much of the knowledge that went on to lay the foundations of scientific studies for thousands of years and one of the most important figures from that period is undoubtedly eratosthenes, who was a mathematician, geographer as well as an astronomer of rare quality. Eratosthenes and the circumference of the earth by. Roller provides a rich background, including a history of the text and its reception, a biography of eratosthenes, and a comprehensive account of ancient greek geographical thought and of eratosthenes pioneering contribution to it.
Greek astronomer using elegant mathematical reasoning and limited empirical measurement, in approximately 240 b. Eratosthenes was educated well by many teachers including ariston of chios, lysanias of cyrene, and the poet callimachus. After striking out the number 1, simply strike out every second number following the number 2, every third number following the number 3, and. Cyrene was an ancient greek city on the north african coast near presentday shahhat. In cyrene, he made a name for himself as a great scholar. Eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades conclusions. However, it was in geography where he proved to be more skillful for he was one of the greatest of all ancient geographers. Eratosthenes geography by eratosthenes, hardcover barnes. C though he was in fact a librarian, he is famous for his. Eratosthenes of cyrene was a natural philosopher and poet who is best known for his development of modern cartographical principles. Eratosthenes and the mystery of the stades introduction.
Dec 28, 2017 how the ancient greeks proved earth was round over 2,000 years ago an ancient greek mathematician calculated the earths circumference without ever leaving home business insider. Eratosthenes was born in the year 276 bc to aglaos and his wife. Cyrene is what we would today recognize as libya, and there he. Cyrene became the center of knowledge at that time and young eratosthenes received training in social discourse, physical skills, arithmetic, music and poetry. He studied and spent most of his adult life in alexandria, where he died in 194 b. He returned to cyrene and made such a name for himself as a scholar that the greek ruler of egypt brought him to alexandria to tutor his son. Eratosthenes then spent some years studying in athens. He was head of the library of alexandria from 240 bc until his death. Cyrene, arsinoe, berenice, ptolemias, and apollonia. Eratosthenes of cyrene was a greek born about 276 bce and died around 194 bce. Greek astronomer and mathematician who wrote on geography, mathematics, philosophy, geology, chronology, and literary criticism, though only fragments of his texts remain. Each fragment is accompanied by an english translation, a summary, and commentary.
If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. He studied under a number of influential greek scholars, and through those connections he ended up moving to alexandria to be the tutor for a future king of egypt ptolemy iv. Eratosthenes of cyrene if youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Search through the entire ancient history timeline. Eratosthenes of cyrene livius articles on ancient history. The story of the philaeni may belong to this age, but we reach more. Eratosthenes of cyrene was born in 276 bc to aglaos. Cyrene is referred to in the deuterocanonical book 2 maccabees. So eratosthenes of cyrene in 240bc became the first person in recorded history to notice that the sun casts no shadow at noon at the summer solstice at syene, on the tropic of cancer at what is. Eratosthenes timeline ancient history encyclopedia. He spent much of his life in egypt, as head of the library of alexandria. Eratosthenes of cyrene, employing mathematical theories and geometrical methods, discovered from the course of the sun, the shadows cast by an equinoctial gnomon, and the inclination of the heaven that the circumference of the earth is two hundred and fiftytwo thousand stadia, that is, thirtyone million five hundred thousand paces. Eratosthenes was born in cyrene presentday libya and became the librarian at alexandria during the second half of the third century b. Eratosthenes 276195 bce was an ancient greek alexandrian scholar, native of cyrene, who attained distinction in many fields including philosophy, mathematics.
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