Cyrene was founded by Greeks from Thera before 600 BC, and it prospered as an independent city until the arrival of the Hellenic era. Using his discoveries and knowledge of its size and shape, he began to sketch it. (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. 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. History of Oceanography TIMELINE PDF Image Zoom Out. 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). He did this by observing the Moon during a lunar eclipse and by estimating the angle and the size of the Earth. Eratosthenes of Cyrene was a Greek polymath: a mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theorist. He also calculated the tilt axis of the Earth. George Syncellus was later able to preserve from Chronographies a list of 38 kings of the Egyptian Thebes. The prime meridian plotted by Ptolemy was used by the Arabs for the calculation of time and longitudes. Eratosthenes was educated in philosophy and mathematics in Athens. Eratosthenes was a famous mathematician who developed latitude and longitude as a way to measure the Earth. _____ includes the study of the earth at History of Oceanography TIMELINE Print PDF Zoom Out Events Egyptian trade on nile 4000 B.C. Eratosthenes now continued from his knowledge about the Earth. For other uses, see. He calculated the size of the Earth using geometry and ratios based on sun observations. In addition, he calculated approximate distances between them. 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. Arsinoe (a biography of Queen Arsinoe, wife and sister of Ptolemy IV). Geography is the study of locations and the relationships between people and their surroundings. 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 was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. Required fields are marked *. The measurement of the Sun-Earth distance, now called the astronomical unit (804,000,000 stadia, 1 stadion varies from 157 to 209 meter). 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. Finally he wrote: Happy father, Ptolemy, because with your son you enjoy the age! 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. 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. Who succeeded Eratosthenes as the chief librarian of Alexandria? Uf Women's Studies Electives, He spent most of his life in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. It is a large, submerged massif, about 120 km long and 80 km wide. Eratosthenes is said to have coined the term geography in Ancient Greece. There was the great bookstore, a museum and a school of advanced studies. 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. [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). Among the archives that were at the disposal of Eratosthenes, the distance between Siena and Alexandria was stated to be 5000 stadia. Atlantic Ocean Ocean exploration is a part of oceanography describing the exploration of ocean surfaces. With the parallels and meridians, Eratosthenes located the known countries and cities. Eratosthenes was born around 276 B.C., which is now Shahhat, Libya. He had inclination toward arts as well as music and poetry composition. The circumference of the Earth was measured by Eratosthenes. Research into physical oceanography included Strabo, who observed volcanic activity and concluded that land was not totally static. Whats The Difference Between Dutch And French Braids? Roller, Duane W. Eratosthenes' Geography. 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. Eratosthenes is most famous for making the first good measurement of the size of Earth. He has written works on geography, philosophy, history, astronomy, mathematics, and literary criticism. He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. environment that offers balanced, up-to-date coverage of geology, oceanography, astronomy, and meteorology. 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. A polymath who served as librarian at Alexandria and tutor to the future King Ptolemy IV, Eratosthenes created the terminology of . He wrote on many topics geography, mathematics, philosophy, chronology, literary criticism, grammar, poetry, and even old comedies. There it remained, approximately, for 25 years. It allows scientists to pinpoint specific locations using a system of degrees. in. The [] Lived c. 276 BC - c. 194 BC. His writings included a poem inspired by astronomy, as well as works on the theatre and on ethics. For his contributions to philosophy, Eratosthenes was called the second Plato. Eratosthenes was called The Father Of Geography, since he was very knowledgeable about the earth. Trigonometry in the modern sense began with the Greeks. However, he never wanted to specialize in a single subject, for which some reproached him. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As a young man, Eratosthenes studied in Athens. His prime number sieve provided a simple way for Greek mathematicians (and frustrated modern students!) Archimedes is regarded as one of the most notable Greek mathematicians. : 3373 , 02-3298322 A . After study in Alexandria and Athens, Eratosthenes settled in Alexandria about 255 bce and became director of the great library there. in, Chondros, Thomas G. Archimedes Life Works and Machines. There he first coined the term "geography" and used his discoveries regarding the size and shape of the earth to represent it. 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". Thus began the fame of Eratosthenes, since in his new field he achieved the recognition he had desired. He also measured the degree of obliquity of the ecliptic (in effect, the tilt of Earths axis) and wrote a treatise on the octateris, an eight-year lunar-solar cycle. What happened to most of the information accumulated there? Several astronomers and mathematicians tried to accurately measure the circumference of the Earth before and after Eratosthenes, but it was Eratosthenes who succeeded. 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 . Hipparchus divided the Earth's surface into 360 degrees. Tiberias Nyc Reservations, Although Eratosthenes method was well founded, the accuracy of his calculation was inherently limited. During his life Eratosthenes was a lover of knowledge in all its areas. Corrections? Modern Geographys founder, Alexander von Humboldt. Eratosthenes contributions to Mathematics are very notable and well known. 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 an Ancient Greek scientist born in the town of Cyrene in about 276 BC. 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. Eratosthenes was a Greek scientist who lived from 276 to 194 B.C. 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. 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. They made the earliest form of navigational or oceanographic map, called stick charts. 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. Shcheglov, D.A. He became famous for being the first to calculate, with considerable precision, the circumference of the earth. [20] He placed grids of overlapping lines over the surface of the Earth. He became famous for being the first to calculate, with considerable precision, the circumference of the earth. Learn, revise and practice all the mocks questions related to the Oceanography with our simple and easy Flashcard quizzes How far from the correct value was Erathosthenes? 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. These works and his great poetic abilities led the pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes to seek to place him as a librarian at the Library of Alexandria in the year 245 BC. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Archives. Eratosthenes created a whole section devoted to the examination of Homer, and acquired original works of great tragic dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. What was the major contribution of Ptolemy? The first place must go to Eratosthenes, the man who coined the term geography between 275 and 194 BC. There is no distinction between the usages. Eratosthenes was born in Cyrene which is now in Libya in North Africa. (2004/2006). Woocommerce Customization Tutorial, At the age of about 50 he returned to Alexandria and soon became director of the Library. 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. He extended the habitable world from Thule to Taprabone (Sri Lanka) and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Bay of Bengal. Invention of Racism in Classical Antiquity. What makes the scientific discipline of geography different from other science disciplines is its emphasis on space, place, and connection. Eratosthenes is famous for making the first good measurement of the size of the Earth. The actual circumference of the Earth is 24,874 miles (40,032 kilometers). A) discovery of a trade route from Europe around the African continent to India B) the introduction of latitude and longitude lines on maps of the world C) a reasonably accurate calculation of the circumference of our planet Some time ago he had gone blind from cataracts and is believed to have committed suicide by starvation. Isaac, Benjamin. The Greek astronomer Eratosthenes becomes the first person to determine the circumference of the Earth. Greeks-create Maps of Med. Eratosthenes made major contributions to geography. Definition. They believed only rivers had currents, and named this mass of water okeanos (meaning river), from which we derived our term . He developed systems of latitudes and longitudes and ascertained accurate length of equator using Gnomon. More than 400 places appeared in that work, but it was lost, except for the references of historians of the time. March 2023; He believed it was a fixed globe whose changes only took place on the surface. The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c. 275-194 BC). Eratosthenes had a significant impact on science and mathematics. Oceanography 100 Karen Baker Quiz #2. Who is responsible for the first measurement of the circumference of the Earth? 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 accurately depicted the Niles route to Khartoum, as well as the two Ethiopian tributaries. At that time he also wrote Peri agathn kai kakn, a text that was lost. We do not know what he looked like. He noted that the Suns rays fell vertically at noon in Syene (now Aswn), Egypt, at the summer solstice. Technology such as electronics and space travel have provided important contributions to oceanography. The Greeks made tremendous advancements in the fields of geomorphology, climatology and oceanography. Eratosthenes only surviving work is Catasterisms, a book about the constellations, which gives a description and story for each constellation, as well as a count of the number of stars contained in it, but the attribution of this work has been doubted by some scholars. He was the chief librarian of the Great Library of Alexandria. % complete [6], Eratosthenes made several important contributions to mathematics and science, and was a friend of Archimedes. Eratosthenes went to Alexandria and found out that the light hit the earth at an angle of 7.2 degrees. They also were among the first people to use astronomical observations of the stars to help them navigate across the ocean. So he studied there, and briefly in Athens as well. Each fragment is accompanied by an English translation, a summary, and commentary. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He also studied under the head of the Platonic Academy, who was Arcesilaus of Pitane. The first spot has to go to the man who coined the term geography, Eratosthenes (c. 275-194 BC). One of Eratosthenes contributions to mathematics was his measurement of the Earth. Updates? Geography was defined by Hettner as the earths chorological science. What Is Fast Acquisition Corp. . in Cyrene, a Greek city located in North Africa, in what is now the lands of Libya. Your email address will not be published. Plato as "Architect of Science". Eratosthenes knew from readings he had taken in Alexandria that during the summer solstice in Siena, at noon the sun was just overhead. 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. Eratosthenes also calculated the Sun's diameter. Eratosthenes measured Earths circumference mathematically using two surface points to make the calculation. [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)). how do floodplains jeopardize the livelihoods of agricultural workers. The Classical Review. 2011. The word geography may have been coined by Eratosthenes. Hermes It was one of his works, in which he addressed the life of the god, and another was named Erigone. He studied in Athens at the Lyceum. He believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe. 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. "Eratosthenes of Cyrene." 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]. Eratosthenes' "Geography". to find all prime numbers between any two integers. He remained the librarian for about 40 years till his death. 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? 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. [6] Eratosthenes was a man of many perspectives and investigated the art of poetry under Callimachus. The first book of "Geography" contained a summary of existing geographical work and Eratosthenes' speculations about the nature of the planet Earth. 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. 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]. As head of the library Eratosthenes tutored the children of Ptolemy, including Ptolemy IV Philopator who became the fourth Ptolemaic pharaoh. Even though they were worriors, they had a huge impact on Oceanography today. It allows scientists to pinpoint specific locations using a system of degrees. On oceanography he was considered an . Arabs were highly influenced by the Greek ideas about the shape and size of the earth. Earth was considered as the centre of the universe, around which revolved the seven planets. During the period in which Eratosthenes was in charge of the Library of Alexandria, great advances were made in it. Eratosthenes (264-194 B.C.) Explanation: Eratosthenes was a geographer and mathematician from Ancient Greece who is known for using geometry to determine the circumference of the Earth. Systmone Remote Access, Geographers look at both the physical properties of the Earths surface and the human societies that live on it. 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 . Given an estimate of the distance between the two cities, he was able to calculate the circumference of Earth, obtaining 250,000 stadia. Who is the first geographer in the world? He first studied with Zeno at the school of the Stoics. Business Opportunities (5) . 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. Was nicknamed Beta by other Greeks of his time, in reference to the second letter of the alphabet. Eratosthenes who made observations at Syene (Aswan) and Alexandria calculated the circumference of the earth as 250,000 stadia (25,000 miles). 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. 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. 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. Around 255BC, he invented the armillary sphere. 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. He was the founder of Geography and holds the credit to calculate the circumference of the Earth. Eratosthenes Contribution to Geography Eratosthenes (276-194 BC) Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer & poet. He described the geography of the world into two parts: (i) Europa, and (ii) Libya (Africa including Asia). The second book contains his calculation of the circumference of the Earth. The HMS Challenger originally was designed as a British warshipa steam corvette in the Royal Navyoutfitted with 17 guns and an engine capable of over 1,200 horsepower. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer & poet. Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, geographer, astronomer & poet. Fragments Collected and Translated, with Commentary and Additional Material. 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. ". #1 Vasco da Gama linked Europe and Asia through an ocean route for the first time The Age of Discovery was a period of global exploration that started in the early 15th century and was primarily initiated by Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. [5] He adopted view of Aristotle & regarded the shape of the earth as sphere. Eratosthenes' other contributions include: The Sieve of Eratosthenes as a way of finding prime numbers. It provides insights into economic, social, historic, culture, religious, political, and climate geography, plus oceanography, demographics, and more. Geographys History. About 150 years later, Eratosthenes (264-194 B.C.) The son of Aglaos, Eratosthenes was born in 276 BC in Cyrene. The numbers from one to 400 are written in a table, with the numbers one to 20 across the top row. This makes Hipparchus the founder of trigonometry. [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. 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. III. Rist, J.M. He lived and worked for most of his life in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. How did Eratosthenes contribute to oceanography? He was born in 271 BC in Cyrene, which is now known as Libya, in North Africa. The two cities used were Alexandria and Syene (modern Aswan), and the distance between the cities was measured by professional bematists. This, so it happens, and when seeing the offering, someone says: this is the work of the Cyrenean Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes was also interested in history and created a chronology of the world from the siege of Troy to his time, taking as references the dates that appeared in literature and in political writings. Digital Radiography Technique, He divided the earth into 5 climatic zones: the frozen poles, under them two temperate zones and in the center a tropical belt that bordered the equator. 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. Contributions of Greeks in the field of Physical Geography: The Greeks made remarkable development in the field of physical geography. Read about the life of Eratosthenes. He died in 194BC at 82 in Alexandria. Eratosthenes (D.W.) Roller (ed., Trans.) Aristotle was a friend of Eratosthenes and collaborated with the mathematical calculations for the creation of the mesolabe. 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. Geography consisted of eight volumes. Eratosthenes Contribution to Geography ugc net, Aristotle Contribution to Geography Notes By NETSET CORNER, Hipparchus Contribution to Geography Notes By NETSET CORNER, Contribution of Greek Scholar in Geography Full Notes for UGC NET, GEOGRAPHY UNIT WISE MOCK TEST (MCQS) NTA UGC NET, Contribution of Alexander Von Humboldt in the Field of Geography NTA UGC NET, Geomorphology 200 MCQS Mock Test 1 NTA UGC NET, MODEL MOCK TEST FOR GEOGRAPHY PAPER 2 NTA UGC NET. Geography consisted of eight volumes. Geography is the study of Earths natural environment and human society, as well as how society and nature interact. 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. He published a book that he called GeographikaIt was there that he first coined the term geography. Atlantic Ocean- long, narrow, parrallel sides 68% of freshwater runs into it. 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 was called Beta (the second letter of the Greek alphabet) because he was never first, but he is more famous than his Alpha teachers because his discoveries are still used today. It is thought that Eratosthenes may also have been a pupil of Callimachus. 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. 2011. This is important to marine science because these concepts are used for locations around the globe. He found the circumference of the Earth to be nearly 250,000 stadia (25,000 miles). This is where, according to Pliny, "The world was grasped." 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.