Introduction
This section will explore how the ancients made significant advances in their knowledge of the natural world, astronomy, the earth, engineering skill, and understanding of human beings. They were sophisticated thinkers and curiosity drove the learned men who bequeath us such rich learning. Our debt to them is huge! And some of their ideas may well surprise you.
Philosophers spawned the ideas that the subjects we now call 'science' were born from. Mathematics, Physics, and Biology. Obviously our ideas, proofs, and theories have moved on, but when we return to our ancient predecessors, we must not forget the framework they laid for the growth of our own education.
To name but a few: Strabo and Ptolemaus were renowned geographers. The work of the former survives substantially. The latter proved influential and was translated into Arabic in the early fifteenth century. Polybius, the great Greek historian of the second century BC saw geography as an integral part of history.
The Babylonians and Greeks showed great though in Astronomy and Polybius saw it as an essential discipline for the general in judging and planning the campaigning season, The fourth century BCE even saw the first theory of heliocentricity (more about that in a later post).
Atomism saw its genesis in the ancient world, and encapsulated in an exquisite poem by Roman poet Lucretius.
Great engineering works stamped their mark on the landscape, such as the Corinthian Canal.
And medicine saw its firs theories and development as a profession.
Do follow 'Science and Discovery' to delve into the intellectual depth, progress, and excellence of the ancient world.
Comments