Defending the theory that vision is due to a flow emanating from the eye, Ptolemy analyzed the reflection of light on flat and spherical mirrors, and its refraction when it crosses the surface between two transparent media. Eratosthenes was a lover of the theater and wrote a series of twelve books which he titled Old Comedy. Eratosthenes - He was a Greek mathematician who had a profound interest in geography. Phoenicians (from what is now Syria and Lebanon) navigated and traded around Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Africa; 2000BC 2. The most enduring contribution of the Guidelines has been the articulation of the five fundamental themes of geography: 1) location; 2) place; 3) relationships within places (human-environmental interaction); 4) relationships between places (movement); and 5) regions. On the basis of this Earth was considered as the centre of the universe, around which revolved the seven planets. Eratosthenes created a whole section devoted to the examination of Homer, and acquired original works of great tragic dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. He was a follower of Aristotle in his belief about the spherical shape of the Earth which he considered to be placed in the centre of the universe. Despite not having a prominent ancestry, Eratosthenes did come from a city that had achieved recognition by the men who were born in it. He worked in geography to try to figure out why the Nile river had such a regular flood pattern, and hypothesized that it was because of heavy rain upstream. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved Eratosthenes' Geography. He had inclination toward arts as well as music and poetry composition. Eratosthenes is also known for his achievement in astronomy. ISBN: 978-0-691-14267-8. Cnidus, 342337 BC), Greek mathematician and astronomer who significantly advanced proportion theory, contributed to the identification of constellations in the Greek world and thus the development of observational astronomy, and created the first sophisticated, geometrical model of celestial motion. The fourth is the prominent grammarian Aristophanes of Byzantium, who succeeded Eratosthenes as head of the Library of Alexandria. He made a catalog of 675 stars. Sieve of Eratosthenes: algorithm steps for primes below 121 (including optimization of starting from the prime's square). According to Strabo, Eratosthenes argued against the Greek-Barbarian dichotomy. However, he assumed that Siena was right over the Tropic of Cancer, a fact that was incorrect. Contributions of Greeks in the field of Physical Geography: The Greeks made remarkable development in the field of physical geography. He studied in Athens at the Lyceum. It is used naval and aviation industries. Eratosthenes made many important contributions to science and mathematics. Although these tables have not survived, it is claimed that twelve books of tables of chords were written by Hipparchus. The psychological effects of incarceration: what goes on in the minds of prisoners? [17] In his three-volume work Geography (Greek: Geographika), he described and mapped his entire known world, even dividing the Earth into five climate zones:[18] two freezing zones around the poles, two temperate zones, and a zone encompassing the equator and the tropics. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. The simplified method works by considering two cities along the same meridian and measuring both the distance between them and the difference in angles of the shadows cast by the sun on a vertical rod (a gnomon) in each city at noon on the summer solstice. It is not known when he wrote his works, but they highlighted his abilities. Eratosthenes' other contributions include: The Sieve of Eratosthenes as a way of finding prime numbers. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? Modern Geographys founder, Alexander von Humboldt. Yet, according to an entry[7] in the Suda (a 10th-century encyclopedia), some critics scorned him, calling him Beta (the second letter of the Greek alphabet) because he always came in second in all his endeavours. First maps showing water (river charts) 3800 B.C. Eratosthenes hired a man to pace the distance between the two cities and learned they were 5,000 stadia apart, which is about 800 kilometers. He invented Syene (near today's Aswan) is located some 800 km up the Nile river from Alexandria very close to the tropic of Cancer (2327'N), so at the time of the summer solstice the Sun's rays fall vertically down on Syrene at noon. Greek Scholar's Work Shows Usefulness of Measurement. He also calculated the tilt axis of the Earth. Geography is the study of locations and the relationships between people and their surroundings. Eratosthenes of Cyrene was a Greek polymath: a mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theorist. Eratosthenes was born in the Greek colony Cyrene, now the city of Shahhat, Libya. Book Collection Nonfiction: High School Edition. Also with one of his students, Aristn de Chios, of whom he wrote a biography. He lived from 276 to 194 B.C. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 18:23. Geographika had 3 volumes. [9], The measurement of Earth's circumference is the most famous among the results obtained by Eratosthenes,[13] who estimated that the meridian has a length of 252,000 stadia (39,060 to 40,320 kilometres (24,270 to 25,050mi)), with an error on the real value between 2.4% and +0.8% (assuming a value for the stadion between 155 and 160 metres (509 and 525ft)). % complete First maps showing water (river charts) 3800 B.C. Roller, Duane W. Eratosthenes' Geography. Read about the life of Eratosthenes. [6] He developed systems of latitudes and longitudes, [7] He measure accurate length of equator, [8] Circumferences of the earth by Eratosthenes 25000 miles, but actual 24860 miles, PDF Name: Eratosthenes Contribution to Geography Notes by Netset Corner, Chronologically Arranged Schools and Associate Scholars. Eratosthenes also calculated the distance from the Earth to the Moon and to the Sun, but with less accuracy. His mathematical work is known principally from the writings of the Greek geometer Pappus of Alexandria, and his geographical work from the first two books of the Geography of the Greek geographer Strabo. Eratosthenes also found a solution to the so-called Deliano problem, or the doubling of the cube. Transit of Venus across the sum verified orbits 2. Menu. He reportedly fell into despair, and he is said to have committed suicide by voluntary starvation in 194 as a result. Your email address will not be published. Cyrene, then a Greek city, is now the town of Shahhat in Libya. James Rennell has been called the Father of Indian Geography, and for his pioneering work on oceanography as the Father of Oceanography.. Who discovered the geography? Explanation: Eratosthenes was a geographer and mathematician from Ancient Greece who is known for using geometry to determine the circumference of the Earth. There it remained, approximately, for 25 years. This is important to marine science because these concepts are used for locations around the globe. He visited Egypt and numerous places in South-West Asia, Greece, and the island in the Mediterranean Sea. One of the main contributions of Eratosthenes to science and astronomy was his important work regarding They helped find new colonies, explored some of North America and were great navigators. Duane W. 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. Later he joined the Platonists as a pupil of Arcesilao.It was then that Eratosthenes created a work called Platonicus, in which, following Plato's method, he explored mathematical and cosmological issues. Trigonometry in the modern sense began with the Greeks. The ancient Greek scholar Eratosthenes is dubbed the father of geography. He was the first to use the word geography, and he also had a small-scale understanding of the planet that helped him determine the earths circumference. He is regarded as the first scientific geographer who measured the length of the equator almost accurately (24860 miles) on sound principles with the help of gnomon. Eratosthenes also did other things that are known today. He was the son of Aglaus, of whom no historical record is preserved, so it is thought that he was not of an important family at the time. At Syene (now Aswn), some 800 km (500 miles) southeast of Alexandria in Egypt, the Suns rays fall vertically at noon at the summer solstice. As a young man, he traveled to Athens to pursue his studies. [12] As he aged, he contracted ophthalmia, becoming blind around 195 BC. The Greek astronomer Eratosthenes becomes the first person to determine the circumference of the Earth. It is believed that it was Eratosthenes' fame as a poet that attracted the attention of Ptolemy III Evergetes, who called him to Alexandria to tutor his son, as well as offering him a position as director of the city library. He created one of the earliest maps of the known world between 276-195 BC, but his greatest contribution was the concept of latitude and longitude. Eratosthenes is famous for making the first good measurement of the size of the Earth. This method consisted of creating a table with natural numbers between 2 and the desired quantity. It starts with 2 and all the numbers that are multiples of that first digit are crossed out, then the same is done with the next number that is not crossed out and so on. Research into physical oceanography included Strabo, who observed volcanic activity and concluded that land was not totally static. Eratosthenes (D.W.) Roller (ed., Trans.) He spent most of his life in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Who Eratosthenes was and what his contribution to math is? He calculated the circumference of the Earth to be about 252,000 stadi which is equal to about 24,662 miles. The actual circumference of the Earth is 24,874 miles (40,032 kilometers). He was a renowned mathematician, poet, geographer, astronomer, and music theorist. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Eratosthenes had a significant impact on geography. Some time ago he had gone blind from cataracts and is believed to have committed suicide by starvation. III. 3. Plato as "Architect of Science". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Eratosthenes noted that at Alexandria, at the same date and time, sunlight fell at an angle of about 7.2 from the vertical. His writings included a poem inspired by astronomy, as well as works on the theatre and on ethics. With these data (length of the shadow and length of the rod), Eratosthenes calculated the angle of the sun's rays in 1/50 of a circumference. He remained the librarian for about 40 years till his death. Archimedes is regarded as one of the most notable Greek mathematicians. He studied astronomy, geography, and math. Due to the increased risk of food poisoning, eating this popular, Petra was ecstatic over Jane and Rafaels happy ending during the series finale, fearing that she would never find love again. During the Middle Ages, most scholars accepted Eratosthenes' circumference, though Christopher Columbus used Posidonius' measurement to convince his supporters that he could quickly reach Asia by sailing west from Europe. It allows scientists to pinpoint specific locations using a system of degrees. Atlantic Ocean Ocean exploration is a part of oceanography describing the exploration of ocean surfaces. Eratosthenes was born around 276 B.C., which is now Shahhat, Libya. Eratosthenes is named for the ancient Greek who first estimated the Earth's circumference around 240 BC. Everything that pleases the Muses and kings you yourself gave to your son. The Fourteenth Edition incorporates Each fragment is accompanied by an English translation, a summary, and commentary. Starting with the first prime number, two, all multiples of two are crossed off. He sought to maintain the reputation of the Library of Alexandria against competition from the Library of Pergamum. So, he measured the angle of elevation during the same period and at the same time in Alexandria with the help of a gnomon. According to Macrobious, Eratosthenes made the diameter of the Sun to be about 27 times that of the Earth. He created one of the earliest maps of the known world between 276-195 BC, but his greatest contribution was the concept of latitude and longitude. This meant that if he continued the light waves at Alexandria and the light waves at Syene, they would meet at a 7.2 degree angle at the center of the earth. Why is Eratosthenes called the father of geography? The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c.275-194 BC). Corrections? At that time he also wrote Peri agathn kai kakn, a text that was lost. Cyrene was absorbed into the Ptolemaic monarchy of Egypt, which ruled from Alexandria, the cultural and commercial center of the Mediterranean. The Handy Geography Answer Book traces the history of geography from Eratosthenes and Alexander von Humboldt to latitude and longitude, and the latest advances in the Global Positioning System (GPS). Technology such as electronics and space travel have provided important contributions to oceanography. Eratosthenes, in full Eratosthenes of Cyrene, (born c. 276 bce, Cyrene, Libyadied c. 194 bce, Alexandria, Egypt), Greek scientific writer, astronomer, and poet, who made the first measurement of the size of Earth for which any details are known. One of Eratosthenes contributions to mathematics was his measurement of the Earth. Required fields are marked *. The prime meridian plotted by Ptolemy was used by the Arabs for the calculation of time and longitudes. He also studied under the head of the Platonic Academy, who was Arcesilaus of Pitane. He also calculated the Earths tilt axis. The exact length of the units (stadia) he used is doubtful, and the accuracy of his result is therefore uncertain. Eratosthenes was an ancient Greek astronomer, geographer, and mathematician. Despite the fact that in Greek times young people from wealthy families had more access to education, there were male academies. Arsinoe (a biography of Queen Arsinoe, wife and sister of Ptolemy IV). He was called Pentathlos, a title given to those who were victors in the five tests of the Olympic games, because he dedicated himself to cultivating all areas of knowledge. Scientific Oceanography James Cook - 1768- HMS Endeavor very talented navigator, cartographer, writer, artist diplomat, sailor, scientist, dietition Scientific Contributions: 1. During his life Eratosthenes was a lover of knowledge in all its areas. Strabo argues it was Alexander's interpretation of their "real intent" in recognizing that "in some people there prevail the law-abiding and the political instinct, and the qualities associated with education and powers of speech". The authors' texts have always been recognized for their readability, currency, dynamic art program, delivery of basic principles and instructor flexibility. [16] A geometric calculation reveals that the circumference of the Earth is the distance between the two cities divided by the difference in shadow angles expressed as a fraction of one turn. He developed systems of latitudes and longitudes and ascertained accurate length of equator using Gnomon. He used as a basis the ecliptic movement, that is, the movement of the sun observed by the apparent changes of the same from the earth. He lived in Athens until Ptolemy Evergetes, the king of Egypt . He greatly overestimated the West to East distance from the Westernmost part of Europe to the Eastern extremity of the ekumene (the habitable calculated the Earths circumference and invented the first lattitude/longitude system a system of imaginary lines on the Earth, used for navigation and mapping. Princeton University Press, 2013. Woocommerce Customization Tutorial, Vol. Eratosthenes is most famous for making the first good measurement of the size of Earth. 175 km 4. [9] He wrote poems: one in hexameters called Hermes, illustrating the god's life history; and another in elegiacs, called Erigone, describing the suicide of the Athenian maiden Erigone (daughter of Icarius). He was nicknamed Beta because he was great at many things and tried to get his hands on every bit of information but never achieved the highest rank in anything; Strabo accounts Eratosthenes as a mathematician among geographers and a geographer among mathematicians.[25]. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2010. Name the major oceans and their main characteristics. He had become blind in his old age and could no longer work by 195 BCE. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. Systmone Remote Access, Around 255BC, he invented the armillary sphere. Eratosthenes experiment was highly regarded at the time, and his estimate of the Earths size was accepted for hundreds of years afterwards. in. Arab and Muslim contribution to geography was not only confined to astronomical and mathematical geography, but rather covered a wide range of the branches of the discipline known at the present time. Eratosthenes, in full Eratosthenes of Cyrene, (born c. 276 bce, Cyrene, Libyadied c. 194 bce, Alexandria, Egypt), Greek scientific writer, astronomer, and poet, who made the first measurement of the size of Earth for which any details are known. Eratosthenes was called The Father Of Geography, since he was very knowledgeable about the earth. He wrote on many topics geography, mathematics, philosophy, chronology, literary criticism, grammar, poetry, and even old comedies. In number theory, he introduced the sieve of Eratosthenes, an efficient method of identifying prime numbers. Review of (D.W.) Roller 'Eratosthenes' Geography. His prime number sieve provided a simple way for Greek mathematicians (and frustrated modern students!) The texts of his early works as a poet are not preserved either; however, some names were passed on to posterity through quotations from other Greeks. Cars &vehicles (9) is credited for two important contributions to oceanography: 1. [20] He placed grids of overlapping lines over the surface of the Earth. Eratosthenes' method of measuring Earth's circumference, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eratosthenes, Famous Scientists - Biography of Eratosthenes, Ancient History Encyclopedia - Biography of Eratosthenes, Eratosthenes - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Thus began the fame of Eratosthenes, since in his new field he achieved the recognition he had desired. The city of Cyrene had spent an independent period from Egypt until the marriage between Ptolemy III and Berenice, the daughter of Magas, governor of that city. Eratosthenes was a Greek scientist who lived from 276 to 194 B.C. He calculated the size of the Earth using geometry and ratios based on sun observations. George Syncellus was later able to preserve from Chronographies a list of 38 kings of the Egyptian Thebes. Under Ptolemaic rule the economy prospered, based largely on the export of horses and silphium, a plant used for rich seasoning and medicine. In German it is erde. Eratosthenes was an illustrious ancient Greek polymath who had expertise in mathematics, astronomy and geography. He also tried to determine the obliquity of the ecliptic. In the first, Eratosthenes addressed the previous theories and compiled the existing information in the library. Eratosthenes of Cyrene, an ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer, was the first to use the word Geography (Greek: Geographika). Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes is also well-known for his astronomical achievements. Despite this, he did not believe in those projections, but in Toscanelli's, which stated that the earth was a third smaller. Eratosthenes also calculated the Sun's diameter. Definition. The second book contains his calculation of the circumference of the Earth. To calculate the circumference of the earth Eratosthenes used a method that has been used until our time, this consists of measuring a meridian. Digital Radiography Technique, In the text, he described the inhabited earth and the people who lived there. [6] His devotees nicknamed him Pentathlos after the Olympians who were well rounded competitors, for he had proven himself to be knowledgeable in every area of learning. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer & poet. This is where, according to Pliny, "The world was grasped." Then numbers that are not prime are discarded. Omissions? : 3373 , 02-3298322 A . He found the circumference of the Earth to be nearly 250,000 stadia (25,000 miles). Aves, A., Magill, F. and Moose, C. (1998). a. Eratosthenes of Cyrene developed longitude and latitude. Eratosthenes Lived c. 276 BC - c. 194 BC. Using your own words, write a paragraph about Eratosthenes and his contributions to math and science. He accurately depicted the Niles route to Khartoum, as well as the two Ethiopian tributaries. Phoenicians (from what is now Syria and Lebanon) navigated and traded around Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Africa; 2000BC 2. He was the founder of Geography and holds the credit to . Fragments Collected and Translated, with Commentary and Additional Material. environment that offers balanced, up-to-date coverage of geology, oceanography, astronomy, and meteorology. (Writing before the Greeks adopted the degree, a Babylonian unit of measure, he actually said a fiftieth of a circle.) He correctly assumed the Suns distance to be very great; its rays therefore are practically parallel when they reach Earth. A Tradition of Exploration Norwegian pioneers throughout history The Viking Age From 800 to 1066 AD, the Vikings journeyed in their longships to explore and establish trade around Europe. In 1870, Dr. C. Wyville Thomson suggested that the Royal Society of London ask the British government for the use of one of its ships for an extended . Eratosthenes (276-195 BCE) was an ancient Greek Alexandrian scholar, native of Cyrene, who attained distinction in many fields including philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and history. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Eratosthenes was the founder of scientific chronology;[5] he used Egyptian and Persian records to estimate the dates of the main events of the mythical Trojan War, dating the sack of Troy to 1183 BC. Later, the Greeks speculated on the idea that the earth was round. He studied at Plato's school in Athens. "La climatologie d'ratosthne Posidonios: gense d'une science humaine". The nematode They are a group of animal that are characterized by having a cylindrical body, without egmentation. Eratosthenes is said to have coined the term geography in Ancient Greece. He died in 194BC at 82 in Alexandria. Eratosthenes was the first person to use the word "geography" and other geographical terms that are still in use today, and his efforts to calculate the circumference of the Earth and the distance from the Earth to the Sun paved the way for our modern understanding of the cosmos. Aristotle was a friend of Eratosthenes and collaborated with the mathematical calculations for the creation of the mesolabe. An account of Eratosthenes method is preserved in the Greek astronomer Cleomedes Meteora. The name Earth is an English/German name which simply means the ground. He is best known for being the first person known to calculate the circumference of the Earth, which he did by using the extensive survey results he could access in his role at the Library; his calculation was remarkably accurate. The estimate is over 99 percent of the actual distance of 40,008 km. It is thought that Eratosthenes may also have been a pupil of Callimachus. In his work Geographika, Eratosthenes described and made maps of the known territories. Around 255 BCE, he invented the armillary sphere. He lived and worked for most of his life in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. Christopher Columbus was one of those who studied the work of Eratosthenes. Updates? Archives. [19] This book is the first recorded instance of many terms still in use today, including the name of the discipline geography. Oceanography is the study of the physical, chemical, and biological features of the ocean, including the ocean's ancient history, its current condition, and its future. It does so by iteratively marking as composite, i.e., not prime, the multiples of each prime, starting with the multiples of 2. Given an estimate of the distance between the two cities, he was able to calculate the circumference of Earth, obtaining 250,000 stadia. He developed Read more. in, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 18:23, Eratosthenes' map of the (for the Greeks) known world, "Aratus's "Phenomena," Cleomedes's "On the Circular Motions of the Celestial Bodies," and Nichomachus's "Introduction to Arithmetic" Viewer World Digital Library", "Eratosthenes on the "measurement" of the Earth", "The origin and value of the stadion unit used by Eratosthenes in the third century B.C", "Eratosthenes's large Earth and tiny universe", "Eratosthenes' Parallel of Rhodes and the History of the System of Climata", English translation of the primary source for Eratosthenes and the size of the Earth, About Eratosthenes' methods, including a Java applet, How the Greeks estimated the distances to the Moon and Sun, Measuring the Earth with Eratosthenes' method, List of ancient Greek mathematicians and contemporaries of Eratosthenes, New Advent Encyclopedia article on the Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes' sieve in classic BASIC all-web based interactive programming environment, Open source Physics Computer Model about Eratosthenes estimation of radius and circumference of Earth, Eratosthenes, Katasterismoi (or Astrothesiae), original text, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eratosthenes&oldid=1141770053, The first book was something of an introduction and gave a review of his predecessors, recognizing their contributions that he compiled in the library. Hipparchus divided the Earth's surface into 360 degrees. Definition. Was nicknamed Beta by other Greeks of his time, in reference to the second letter of the alphabet. Eratosthenes was a man of many talents. Hermes It was one of his works, in which he addressed the life of the god, and another was named Erigone. He believed that the celestial bodies revolved around the Earth. He invented a system of latitude and longitude and he also might have calculated the distance from earth to the sun and invented the leap day. Eratosthenes who made observations at Syene (Aswan) and Alexandria calculated the circumference of the earth as 250,000 stadia (25,000 miles). Eratosthenes's main interest in youth was philosophy and that vocation led him to Athens at the age of 15. Who can fully deduct traditional IRA contributions? Among the ancient Greek scholars Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Eratosthenes is the chief ones. 2. *Egyptians utilized the Nile River and created a commerce based on ship-based trade (4000 BC). There he was taught Stoicism by its founder, Zeno of Citium, in philosophical lectures on living a virtuous life. When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. 1. OCEANOGRAPHY-Study of the Oceans Contributions of the ancients 1. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. He also made a chart with the chronology of the Egyptian kings of Thebes, wrote about the conquests of Alexander the Great, and made a description of Greece at that time. He sketched, quite accurately, the route of the Nile to Khartoum, showing the two Ethiopian tributaries.