Marcotte, D. (1998). Eratosthenes of Cyrene (/ r t s n i z /; Greek: [eratostns]; c. 276 BC - c. 195/194 BC) was a Greek polymath: a mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theorist.He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria.His work is comparable to what is now known as the study of geography, and he . He is known as the Father of Mathematics. 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. 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. It was said that these were copied so accurately that it was impossible to tell if the library had returned the original or the copy. Thu, the different type of pecialized text will vary according to the ubject and p All Rights Reserved warbletoncouncil.org - 2023. [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. Even though they were worriors, they had a huge impact on Oceanography today. He compiled a star catalog and the earliest surviving table of a trigonometric function and established mathematically that an object and its mirror image must make equal angles to a mirror. [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. That is why he thought that he would arrive in Asia on his journey and did not realize that a new continent had arrived. Ptolemy studied the reflection of light on flat and spherical mirrors as well as its refraction when it crosses the surface between two transparent media, defending the theory that vision is caused by a flow emanating from the eye. He lived in Athens until Ptolemy Evergetes, the king of Egypt, commissioned Eratosthenes to run the Library of Alexandria, which became the most important center of knowledge in the region. Eratosthenes made major contributions to geography. Ptolemy III was not moved only by his interest in the work of Eratosthenes, but also by political motives. 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. Perspectives on the Contribution of Arabs and Muslims to Geography Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He calculated the Earths circumference. Posidonius wrote a bookThe Ocean. Eratosthenes. What were Eratosthenes contributions to geography? This, so it happens, and when seeing the offering, someone says: this is the work of the Cyrenean Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes is most famous for making the first accurate measurement of the circumference of the Earth. ", Zhumud, Leonid. Aves, A., Magill, F. and Moose, C. (1998). The first person to determine the size of Earth was Eratosthenes of Cyrene, who produced a surprisingly good measurement using a simple scheme that combined geometrical calculations with physical observations. They also were among the first people to use astronomical observations of the stars to help them navigate across the ocean. He made a catalog of 675 stars. The fourth is the prominent grammarian Aristophanes of Byzantium, who succeeded Eratosthenes as head of the Library of Alexandria. Oceanography - National Geographic Society The pecialized text They are thoe that contain a vocabulary and terminology pecific to a certain branch of knowledge. % complete First maps showing water (river charts) 3800 B.C. 22, No. Location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and geography are the five themes of geography. 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. Definition. 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. Biography of Eratosthenes, Greek Geographer - ThoughtCo 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. As a young man, he traveled to Athens to pursue his studies. He had become blind in his old age and could no longer work by 195 BCE. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2010. Which common nonsilicate mineral is used in wallboard. Eratosthenes went to Alexandria and found out that the light hit the earth at an angle of 7.2 degrees. Calculated the Earth's circumference: 40,000 km (24,840 mi) More precise, modern measurement: 40,032 km (24,860 mi) Eratosthenes' most famous contribution to science was his calculation of the circumference of the Earth, which he completed while working on the second volume of his "Geography.". There he first coined the term "geography" and used his discoveries regarding the size and shape of the earth to represent it. Eratosthenes went to Athens to further his studies. [2], Eratosthenes believed there was both good and bad in every nation and criticized Aristotle for arguing that humanity was divided into Greeks and barbarians, as well as for arguing that the Greeks should keep themselves racially pure. The Arabs were the great contributors in the field of mathematical, physical and regional geography. Invention of Racism in Classical Antiquity. He reportedly fell into despair, and he is said to have committed suicide by voluntary starvation in 194 as a result. Unfortunately, other than a few scraps, little remains of Eratosthenes original work. geography term coined by Eratosthenes - Geographer Corner In addition, he calculated approximate distances between them. Vol. (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. In On the Circular Motions of the Celestial Bodies,[11] Cleomedes credited him with having calculated the Earth's circumference around 240 BC, with a high precision. References to the works of Eratosthenes are preserved thanks to other authors, since when the library of Alexandria was lost, practically all of his work was lost. Born: c. 276 BCE in Cyrene (present-day Libya) Died: 192 or 196 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt Early Life Eratosthenes was born around 276 BCE in a Greek colony in Cyrene, a territory located in present-day Libya. However, he never wanted to specialize in a single subject, for which some reproached him. These six geographers are noteworthy for their contribution to the science of geography. Sieve of Eratosthenes: algorithm steps for primes below 121 (including optimization of starting from the prime's square). Greeks-create Maps of Med. The suns rays are parallel, and the earth is round. In addition to the attempts of Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276c. He also devised a system for discovering prime numbers as whole numbers that can only be divided by themselves or the number 1. Phoenicians (from what is now Syria and Lebanon) navigated and traded around Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Africa; 2000BC 2. Eratosthenes (born c. 276 BCE, Cyrene, Libya) was a Greek scientific writer, astronomer, and poet who made the first measurements of Earths size for which any details are known. Eratosthenes was a lover of the theater and wrote a series of twelve books which he titled Old Comedy. 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. Leaving Cape Town in April 1932, Discoveryand its oceanographers, including George Deacon, circumnavigated Antarctica, much of the first few months at sea the Antarctic winter, completing the long series of sections in April 1933 before returning to England. Youll get a, Copyright 2023 TipsFolder.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. He studied astronomy, geography, and math. Eratosthenes' other contributions include: The Sieve of Eratosthenes as a way of finding prime numbers. At that time he also wrote Peri agathn kai kakn, a text that was lost. [20] He placed grids of overlapping lines over the surface of the Earth. Eratosthenes was well acquainted with the extent of the Red sea, which he described as extending for about 9000 stadia (900 miles) from the head of Gulf of Suez to the Bab-al-Mandab. Then he continued: "And do not try to understand the intricate tasks of the Archytas cylinders or the triple cuts of the cone of Menechmus or what the curved figure of the divine Eudoxus describes in its lines, because in these tablets you will easily find thousands of means even starting from poor start . In this book Eratosthenes denounced. Starting with the first prime number, two, all multiples of two are crossed off. Eratosthenes was an ancient Greek astronomer, geographer, and mathematician. His writings included a poem inspired by astronomy, as well as works on the theatre and on ethics. 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 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. Contribution of Greeks to Mathematical and Physical Geography how do floodplains jeopardize the livelihoods of agricultural workers. Arabs were highly influenced by the Greek ideas about the shape and size of the earth. They made the earliest form of navigational or oceanographic map, called stick charts. Eratosthenes is also well-known for his astronomical achievements. Eratosthenes united and organized in this work different information that he found in the Library of Alexandria. 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. Why do you suppose the residents of Alexandria became hostile to the librarians and the many achievements of the library? He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. He may have measured the distances from Earth to both the Moon and to the Sun, but the historical accounts of both deeds are rather cryptic. (2004/2006). Although Eratosthenes method was well founded, the accuracy of his calculation was inherently limited. The first number following two that is not crossed off will be . Like any young Greek at the time, Eratosthenes would have studied in the local gymnasium, where he would have learned physical skills and social discourse as well as reading, writing, arithmetic, poetry, and music.[9]. He sketched, quite accurately, the route of the Nile to Khartoum, showing the two Ethiopian tributaries. Eratosthenes who made observations at Syene (Aswan) and Alexandria calculated the circumference of the earth as 250,000 stadia (25,000 miles). Known For: Eratosthenes was a Greek polymath who became known as the father of geography. He was the first prose writer. We do not know what he looked like. Arsinoe (a biography of Queen Arsinoe, wife and sister of Ptolemy IV). 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. Who Eratosthenes was and what his contribution to math is? What superannuation contributions are reportable? Geographers look at both the physical properties of the Earths surface and the human societies that live on it. Boldly, they also sailed across the open ocean to settle Iceland and Greenland, even landing in North Americabecoming the first Europeans to do so. The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c.275-194 BC). It was now possible to estimate one's distance from remote locations with this network over the surface of the Earth. Contributions of Greeks in the field of Physical Geography: The Greeks made remarkable development in the field of physical geography. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. His major work is 'Ges-periods' which is the first systematic description of the world. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician with a strong interest in geography. What was Eratosthenes greatest achievement? Eratosthenes' is believed to be the first person to attempt a determination of the size of the Earth through measurement. Using your own words, write a paragraph about Eratosthenes and his contributions to math and science. Ptolemy made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, geography, musical theory, and optics. Hermes It was one of his works, in which he addressed the life of the god, and another was named Erigone. Eckerman, Chris. Atlantic Ocean- long, narrow, parrallel sides 68% of freshwater runs into it. G. Argoud, J.Y. [2][3] He was also the first to calculate Earth's axial tilt, which has also proved to have remarkable accuracy. . Eratosthenes is named for the ancient Greek who first estimated the Earth's circumference around 240 BC. establishing a center for the study of marine science and navigation in Portugal. Geography is derived from the Greek words geo (the Earth in its broadest sense) and graphos (graphos (graphy), which means to write about. To write about the Earth in a literal sense. Aristotle was a friend of Eratosthenes and collaborated with the mathematical calculations for the creation of the mesolabe. He lived from 276 to 194 B.C. What was Eratosthenes contribution? - Sage-Answer [19] This book is the first recorded instance of many terms still in use today, including the name of the discipline geography. Given an estimate of the distance between the two cities, he was able to calculate the circumference of Earth, obtaining 250,000 stadia. With the parallels and meridians, Eratosthenes located the known countries and cities.