[10] He then studied under Aristo of Chios, who led a more cynical school of philosophy. Eratosthenes of Cyrene, an ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer, was the first to use the word Geography (Greek: Geographika). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Isaac, Benjamin. There is no distinction between the usages. Archives. Eratosthenes made many important contributions to science and mathematics. 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. Ben-Avraham et al. The first number following two that is not crossed off will be . Despite this, he did not believe in those projections, but in Toscanelli's, which stated that the earth was a third smaller. Now part of modern-day Libya, Cyrene had been founded by Greeks centuries earlier and became the capital of Pentapolis (North Africa), a country of five cities: Cyrene, Arsinoe, Berenice, Ptolemias, and Apollonia. Losing the ability to read and to observe nature plagued and depressed him, leading him to voluntarily starve himself to death. [1] Cyrene became a place of cultivation, where knowledge blossomed. 2011. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician with a strong interest in geography. Eratosthenes was called The Father Of Geography, since he was very knowledgeable about the earth. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. salinity, waves, tides and winds. His writings included a poem inspired by astronomy, as well as works on the theatre and on ethics. 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. 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. An account of Eratosthenes method is preserved in the Greek astronomer Cleomedes Meteora. Eratosthenes may have been the first to use the word geography. Eratosthenes went to Athens to further his studies. Eratosthenes. March 2023; Thu, the different type of pecialized text will vary according to the ubject and p All Rights Reserved warbletoncouncil.org - 2023. The first place must go to Eratosthenes, the man who coined the term geography between 275 and 194 BC. He concluded that the circumference of the earth was about 50 times greater than the distance from Alexandria to Aswan. To calculate the circumference of the earth Eratosthenes used a method that has been used until our time, this consists of measuring a meridian. The son of Aglaos, Eratosthenes was born in 276 BC in Cyrene. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved 2011. He also realized that streams eroded continents and deposited sediments into the ocean. However, he assumed that Siena was right over the Tropic of Cancer, a fact that was incorrect. Who Eratosthenes was and what his contribution to math is? 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. For his contributions to philosophy, Eratosthenes was called the second Plato. Euclid, Greek Eukleides, (flourished c. 300 bce, Alexandria, Egypt), the most prominent mathematician of Greco-Roman antiquity, best known for his treatise on geometry, the Elements. Eratosthenes went to Alexandria and found out that the light hit the earth at an angle of 7.2 degrees. The second book contains his calculation of the circumference of the Earth. The circumference of the Earth was measured by Eratosthenes. He was the founder of Geography and holds the credit to calculate the circumference of the Earth. 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. The two cities used were Alexandria and Syene (modern Aswan), and the distance between the cities was measured by professional bematists. Eratosthenes contributions to Mathematics are very notable and well known. He was born in 271 BC in Cyrene, which is now known as Libya, in North Africa. 2, 1977. Required fields are marked *. Atlantic Ocean- long, narrow, parrallel sides 68% of freshwater runs into it. Eratosthenes was born around 276 B.C., which is now Shahhat, Libya. Learn everything about the Oceanography from scratch and become a master of this topic with quiz based flashcards. [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. They made the earliest form of navigational or oceanographic map, called stick charts. Later, the Greeks speculated on the idea that the earth was round. 2006. 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. Eratosthenes knew from readings he had taken in Alexandria that during the summer solstice in Siena, at noon the sun was just overhead. Trigonometry can be used to roof a house, to make the roof inclined ( in the case of single individual bungalows) and the height of the roof in buildings etc. It was now possible to estimate one's distance from remote locations with this network over the surface of the Earth. He could then use simple proportions to find the Earths circumference 7.2 degrees is 1/50 of 360 degrees, so 800 times 50 equals 40,000 kilometers. 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. 2. However, it was in geography where he proved to be more skillful for he was one of the greatest of all ancient geographers. 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. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river. Christopher Columbus was one of those who studied the work of Eratosthenes. Systmone Remote Access, In addition to calculating Earths circumference, Eratosthenes created the Sieve of Eratosthenes (a procedure for finding prime numbers), tried to fix the dates of literary and political events since the siege of Troy, and is thought to have created the armillary sphere (an early astronomical device for representing the great circles of the heavens). [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)). During his time at the Library of Alexandria, Eratosthenes devised a calendar using his predictions about the, He was also very proud of his solution for. At the Library of Alexandria, he was the chief librarian where he read books on a variety of disciplines that expanded his knowledge extensively. He sought to maintain the reputation of the Library of Alexandria against competition from the Library of Pergamum. In the text, he described the inhabited earth and the people who lived there. [25], This article is about the Greek scholar of the third century BC. He also dedicated to Eratosthenes The method. According to Strabo, Eratosthenes argued against the Greek-Barbarian dichotomy. He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. [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' is believed to be the first person to attempt a determination of the size of the Earth through measurement. in Cyrene, a Greek city located in North Africa, in what is now the lands of Libya. Zihuatanejo Beach Shawshank, 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. All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and godesses. This is important to marine science because these concepts are used for locations around the globe. The word for a, Sulfates and Halides Gypsum is known in Colorado for mining gypsum, a mineral used in the construction of wallboard. He first studied with Zeno at the school of the Stoics. This is the sieve's key distinction from using trial division to sequentially test each candidate number for divisibility by each prime. Earth Science Oceanography: An Invitation To Marine Science, Loose-leaf Versin How did the Library of Alexandria contribute to the development of marine science? 1. It comes from the Old English words eor(th)e and ertha. If you ask any geographer to name a person who was responsible for the founding of their discipline, theyre likely to say, Ptolemy. Claudius Ptolemaeus lived in second-century Alexandria from 100 AD to 170 AD, writing the Geographike hyphegesis (c150), also known as the Geography. He was the inventor of Geography and is responsible for calculating the Earths circumference. 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). First maps showing water (river charts) 3800 B.C. The nematode They are a group of animal that are characterized by having a cylindrical body, without egmentation. Why is Eratosthenes called the father of geography? Was nicknamed Beta by other Greeks of his time, in reference to the second letter of the alphabet. Eratosthenes is said to have coined the term geography in Ancient Greece. Eratosthenes followed in the footsteps of other academics in his city and trained with Lysanias, an expert in grammar. 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. But he did not find in them a style that appealed to him. Eratosthenes, then thirty years old, accepted Ptolemy's invitation and traveled to Alexandria, where he lived for the rest of his life. is credited for two important contributions to oceanography: 1. By this they meant to say that Eratosthenes was second best in all areas, as he never wanted to specialize in any. Your email address will not be published. He published a book that he called GeographikaIt was there that he first coined the term geography. 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. 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. Looked for continent - found New Zealand, Great barrier reef, numerous small islands "Eratosthenes of Cyrene." In German it is erde. 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? Eratosthenes was an illustrious ancient Greek polymath who had expertise in mathematics, astronomy and geography. [19] This book is the first recorded instance of many terms still in use today, including the name of the discipline geography. At that time he also wrote Peri agathn kai kakn, a text that was lost. For his studies on the earth, Eratosthenes is known as the "father of geography." The Classical Review. Each fragment is accompanied by an English translation, a summary, and commentary. He wrote on many topics geography, mathematics, philosophy, chronology, literary criticism, grammar, poetry, and even old comedies. Eratosthenes is named for the ancient Greek who first estimated the Earth's circumference around 240 BC. He noted that the Suns rays fell vertically at noon in Syene (now Aswn), Egypt, at the summer solstice. Contributions of Greeks in the field of Physical Geography: The Greeks made remarkable development in the field of physical geography. The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c. 275-194 BC). His interest in Plato led him to write his very first work at a scholarly level, Platonikos, inquiring into the mathematical foundation of Plato's philosophies. Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 BCE192 or 194 BCE) was an ancient Greek mathematician, poet, and astronomer who is known as the father of geography. He did not use the mythological descriptions that were common at the time, but relied on military texts to carry out his work. Greeks-create Maps of Med. He set the circumference measurement at 252,000 stadia, which is approximately 39,691 kilometers. a. Eratosthenes of Cyrene developed longitude and latitude. He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. [6] Eratosthenes was a man of many perspectives and investigated the art of poetry under Callimachus. The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c. 275-194 BC). He had become blind in his old age and could no longer work by 195 BCE. In addition, he calculated approximate distances between them. JR, on the other, Either is a correct plural for the word leaf, according to Merriam-Websters online dictionary. Why do you suppose the residents of Alexandria became hostile to the librarians and the many achievements of the library? He was the founder of Geography and holds the credit to calculate the circumference of the Earth. He believed it was a fixed globe whose changes only took place on the surface. He accurately depicted the Niles route to Khartoum, as well as the two Ethiopian tributaries. It is a large, submerged massif, about 120 km long and 80 km wide. Woocommerce Customization Tutorial, He reportedly fell into despair, and he is said to have committed suicide by voluntary starvation in 194 as a result. Aristarchus was one of the first astronomers to calculate the relative sizes of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth. 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. He was the first to affirm that the heavy rains in the headwaters could explain the floods in the lower part of the flow. [23] Strabo says that Eratosthenes was wrong to claim that Alexander had disregarded the counsel of his advisers. The course consists of an extensive examination of physical and cultural factors that contribute to and produce the variable character of the earth's surface and a discussion of the significance of . He returned to Cyrene and made such a name for himself in scholarly endeavors that the Greek ruler of Egypt brought him to Alexandria to tutor his son. They also were among the first people to use astronomical observations of the stars to help them navigate across the ocean. [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. ", Zhumud, Leonid. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The Greeks made tremendous advancements in the fields of geomorphology, climatology and oceanography. Eratosthenes was called The Father Of Geography, since he was very knowledgeable about the earth. 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. He reportedly fell into despair, and he is said to have committed suicide by voluntary starvation in 194 as a result. He expanded the library's holdings: in Alexandria all books had to be surrendered for duplication. 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. What was Eratosthenes greatest achievement? Among the archives that were at the disposal of Eratosthenes, the distance between Siena and Alexandria was stated to be 5000 stadia. He also calculated the Earth's circumference and was off by less than 150 miles in his. Between 276 and 195 BC, he created one of the first known maps of the world, but his most significant contribution was the concept of latitude and longitude. He drew the meridian through Alexandria, Syene, Rhodes and the mouth of Boresthenes (Dniester). Everything that pleases the Muses and kings you yourself gave to your son. He did this by observing the Moon during a lunar eclipse and by estimating the angle and the size of the Earth. He is also regarded as the Father of Geography..