http://wiki.karljones.com/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Eratosthenes 2026-10-23T19:30:43Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.24.2 http://wiki.karljones.com/index.php?title=Eratosthenes&diff=15345&oldid=prev 2016-05-13T18:55:07Z

<p>Created page with &quot;&#039;&#039;&#039;Eratosthenes of Cyrene&#039;&#039;&#039; (/ɛrəˈtɒsθəniːz/; Greek: Ἐρατοσθένης, IPA: [eratostʰénɛːs]; c. 276 BC – c. 195/194 BC) was a Greek <a href="/index.php/Mathematician" title="Mathematician">mathematician</a>, g...&quot;</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>'''Eratosthenes of Cyrene''' (/ɛrəˈtɒsθəniːz/; Greek: Ἐρατοσθένης, IPA: [eratostʰénɛːs]; c. 276 BC – c. 195/194 BC) was a Greek [[mathematician]], [[geographer]], [[poet]], [[astronomer]], and [[music theorist]].<br /> <br /> == Biography ==<br /> <br /> He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the [[Library of Alexandria]].<br /> <br /> He invented the discipline of [[geography]], including the terminology used today.<br /> <br /> He is best known for being the first person to calculate the [[circumference of the Earth]], which he did by applying a measuring system using ''[[stadia]]'', which was a standard unit of measure during that time period.<br /> <br /> His calculation was remarkably accurate.<br /> <br /> He was also the first to calculate the [[tilt of the Earth's axis]] (again with remarkable accuracy).<br /> <br /> Additionally, he may have accurately calculated the [[distance from the Earth to the Sun]] and invented the [[leap day]].<br /> <br /> He created the first [[map of the world]] incorporating [[parallels]] and [[meridians]], based on the available geographical knowledge of the era.<br /> <br /> Eratosthenes was the founder of [[scientific chronology]]; he endeavored to revise the dates of the chief literary and political events from the [[conquest of Troy]].<br /> <br /> In [[number theory]], he introduced the [[sieve of Eratosthenes]], an efficient method of identifying [[Prime number|prime number]]s.<br /> <br /> He was a figure of influence who declined to specialize in only one field.<br /> <br /> According to an entry in the [[Suda]] (a 10th-century reference), his critics scorned him, calling him ''Beta'', from the second letter of the Greek alphabet, because he always came in second in all his endeavors.<br /> <br /> Nonetheless, 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.<br /> <br /> Eratosthenes yearned to understand the complexities of the entire world.<br /> <br /> == See also ==<br /> <br /> * [[Astronomical unit]]<br /> * [[Early world maps]]<br /> * [[Sieve of Eratosthenes]]<br /> <br /> == External links ==<br /> <br /> * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthenes Eratosthenes] @ Wikipedia<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> [[Category:Astronomers]]<br /> [[Category:Geographers]]<br /> [[Category:Mathematicians]]<br /> [[Category:Music theorists]]<br /> [[Category:Poets]]</div>

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