The History of Archimedes Palimpsest Exhibition Digital Community Links Archimedes of Syracuse Archimedes was born in the city of Syracuse on the island of Sicily in 287 BC. He was the son of an astronomer and mathematician named Phidias. Aside from that, very little is known about the early life of Archimedes or his family. Some maintain that he belonged to the nobility of Syracuse, and that his family was in some way related to that of Hiero II, King of Syracuse. In the third century BC, Syracuse was a hub of commerce, art and science. As a youth in Syracuse Archimedes developed his natural curiosity and penchant for problem solving. When he had learned as much as he could from his teachers, Archimedes traveled to Egypt in order to study in Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria had, by Archimedes' time, earned a reputation for great learning and scholarship. Euclid was one of the most well-known scholars who lived in Alexandria prior to Archimedes' arrival in the city.

Euclid was a renowned mathematician, perhaps best remembered for collecting all of the existent Greek geometrical treatises and assembling them in a logical and systematic order in his book, “The Elements.” This compilation was fundamental to the study of geometry for over 2,000 years, and undoubtedly influenced the work of Archimedes. After his studies in Alexandria, Archimedes returned to Syracuse and pursued a life of thought and invention. Many apocryphal legends record how Archimedes endeared himself to King Hiero II, discovering solutions to problems that vexed the king. Archimedes' Screw One such story recounts how a perplexed King Hiero was unable to empty rainwater from the hull of one of his ships. The King called upon Archimedes for assistance. Archimedes' solution was to create a machine consisting of a hollow tube containing a spiral that could be turned by a handle at one end. When the lower end of the tube was placed into the hull and the handle turned, water was carried up the tube and out of the boat. The Archimedes Screw is still used as a method of irrigation in developing countries.

The Puzzle of King Hiero's Crown The "Eureka" Story Read the Story » King Hiero had commissioned a new royal crown for which he provided solid gold to the goldsmith. When the crown arrived, King Hiero was suspicious that the goldsmith only used some of the gold, kept the rest for himself and added silver to make the crown the correct weight. Archimedes was asked to determine whether or not the crown was pure gold without harming it in the process. Archimedes was perplexed but found inspiration while taking a bath. He noticed that the full bath overflowed when he lowered himself into it, and suddenly realized that he could measure the crown's volume by the amount of water it displaced. He knew that since he could measure the crown's volume, all he had to do was discover its weight in order to calculate its density and hence its purity. Archimedes was so exuberant about his discovery that he ran down the streets of Syracuse naked shouting, “Eureka!” which meant “I've found it!” in Greek. Archimedes and the Defense of Syracuse During Archimedes' lifetime Sicily was a hotspot for both geological and political events.

The volcanic Mount Etna loomed threateningly over the island, while on all sides the titanic Punic Wars raged between Rome and Carthage. Situated strategically between the two great powers, Sicily naturally became an object of contention. Self preservation demanded that the kings of Syracuse negotiate with the great powers, and as a result the small city-state often found itself allied with one against the other. Such was the case in 214 BC, when pro-Carthaginian factions within the city chose to side with Carthage against Rome. Shortly thereafter, legions of the Roman army sailed to Syracuse and laid siege to the city walls. King Hiero II had anticipated such an eventuality. Before his death in 216 BC, Hiero set Archimedes to work, strengthening the walls of Syracuse and modifying its great stronghold, the Euryelos fortress. Archimedes also constructed war machines to defend Syracuse. When the Romans arrived under the command of the famed general Marcellus, Archimedes was prepared.

The Roman historian Polybius relates that Archimedes now made such extensive preparations, both within the city and also to guard against an attack from the sea, that there would be no chance of the defenders being employed in meeting emergencies but that every move of the enemy could be replied to instantly by a counter move.…huge beams were suddenly projected at the [Roman] ships from the walls, which sank some of them with great weights plunging down from on high; others were seized at the prow by iron claws….drawn straight up into the air, and then plunged stern foremost into the depths…. with great destruction of the fighting men on board, who perished in the wrecks….in reality all the rest of the Syracusans were but a body for the designs of Archimedes, and his the one soul moving and managing everything; for all other weapons laid idle, and his alone were then employed by the city both in offense and defense. The Death of Archimedes For two years the genius of Archimedes repelled the Romans, enabling the city to survive the lengthy siege. Nevertheless, in 212 BC the forces of Marcellus prevailed and took the city.

Marcellus had great respect for Archimedes, and immediately dispatched soldiers to retrieve his foe. Apparently, the great mathematician was unaware that his enemy had stormed the city, so deeply were his attentions focused on a mathematical problem. When a soldier demanded Archimedes accompany him to the quarters of Marcellus he simply refused, and continued his ruminations. The enraged soldier flew upon Archimedes, striking the 75 year-old eccentric dead. Marcellus was greatly distressed upon hearing the news of Archimedes' death, and ordered that he be buried with honors. Archimedes' tombstone was, as he had wished, engraved with an image of a sphere within a cylinder, after one of his geometrical treatises. Archimedes' Legacy Despite the many fantastic tales surrounding the life of Archimedes, we are most indebted to him for his mathematical treatises and the contributions he made to the understanding of fundamental physical phenomena. Through the medium of geometry, he was able to elucidate the principles for such basic devices as the pulley, the fulcrum and the lever – devices still utilized today.

Archimedes is also credited with the discovery of the principle of buoyancy, or the power of a fluid to exert an upward force on a body placed in it. His further research into volume and density was fundamental to the development of theories of hydrostatics-the branch of physics dealing with liquids at rest. The story of the survival of Archimedes' treatises down to our own time is intricate and complicated, and has been traced in extraordinary detail. But an essential point is this: it is through three manuscripts that we know the texts of Archimedes treatises in Greek. One was last heard of in 1311, a second was last heard of in the 1550s, and the third is The Archimedes Palimpsest, now at The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and the subject of this website. Because this is just the start of a fascinating story. Archimedes Archimedes Archimedes Thoughtful by Fetti (1620) When we think of the great scientists and mathematicians of the ancient world, who have contributed greatly to today's inventions and researches, who could forget Archimedes.

In the hearts and minds of scientists Archimedes occupies the same respectable position as Newton and Gauss. In his ancient Greek days he was known as the "the wise one," "the master" and "the great geometer". His works such as the "Death Ray" gained him popularity and fame that lasts till this day. He was one of the last great Greek mathematicians. Biography Archimedes was born in 287 B.C. in the port of Syracuse, Sicily in the colony of Magna Graecia. His father was Phidias, who was an astronomer about whom nothing is known. We derive this information about Archimedes from his work "The Sand Reckoner". In those times, in the absence of paper or blackboards, Archimedes used dust, ashes or any other available surface to draw his geometric figures. He used to get so engrossed in his work that sometimes he forgot to eat. It is alleged that he drew figures on his body after bathing and applying olive oil. According to the Greek historian John Tzetzes, who was famous for his research on Byzantinne Greek era, Archimedes lived for 75 years.

Except for the period of his life where he attended school in Alexandria at Euclid's, Archimedes spent all his life at Syracuse. Ancient Greek biographer Plutarch, relates Archimedes to King Hiero II of Syracuse. He says Archimedes achieved so much fame because of his relation to King Hiero II and Gelon (son of King Hiero II). He was a close friend of Gelon and helped Hiero solve complex problem with extreme ease, utterly amazing his friend. Archimedes died in 212 B.C. during the Second Punic war, when Syracuse was captured by the Roman forces after a two year siege. According to Plutarch, Archimedes was researching a mathematical diagram, when a Roman soldier ordered him to meet General Marcus (who was engaged in the siege of Syracuse). But Archimedes declined saying that he had to finish his diagram. Furious, the Roman soldier killed Archimedes. General Marcus was angered by the death of Archimedes, because he didn't wish him any harm. Another popular theory regarding Archimedes' death is that he was killed while actually surrendering to the Romans.

Tomb of Archimedes The tomb of Archimedes is famous for it depicts his famous diagram, a sphere in a cylinder of the exact height and diameter. Archimedes had earlier proved that the volume and surface area of the sphere would be two thirds that of the cylinder. In 75 B.C., 137 years after the death of Archimedes, it was Cicero who was responsible for giving respect and attention to Archimedes' tomb, which had been long neglected. Cicero had heard about the tomb of Archimedes, but it took him a long time to find it, as the local populace were unable to help. Ultimately he found it at the Agrigentine gate in Syracuse, covered in bushes. He cleaned up the tomb and gave it its due respect. Discoveries and Inventions Archimedes has many discoveries and inventions to his credit, but he considered his theoretical work as his main triumph. Along with his inventions in mathematics and geometry, he is also known for the weapons he created for King Hiero II to help protect Syracuse. He is credited with many inventions in the field of mathematics and physics such as "Death ray", "Archimedes claw", hydrostatics, calculus, etc..

Some of his discoveries are stated below: Hydrostatics: Today when we get any idea, we often shout the word 'Eureka'. This famous word is originally attributed to Archimedes, for the invention of measuring the volume of an object with an irregular shape. Once when Hiero had ordered a gold crown, he suspected that the crown was not made of pure gold but also silver. However, he could not prove this. He told Archimedes of his suspicion. One day as Archimedes thoughts were revolving around the problem, he took a bath in his bathtub. He realized that the amount of water that overflowed the tub was proportional to the amount of his body that was submerged. At the realization he came shouting out of the bathtub "Eureka, Eureka" and ran out on to the streets of Syracuse completely naked. In his work 'The Floating Bodies', this principle is known as the 'Archimedes Principle'. But the example of golden crown does not appear in any known works of Archimedes. Principle of levers: Although Archimedes did not invent the lever, he discovered the reasoning behind why it worked.

It is said that he remarked, "Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth." Plutarch explained how Archimedes designed the block and tackle pulley systems, allowing sailors to use the principle of leverage to lift objects that would otherwise have been too heavy to shift. It is also said that Archimedes built the Syracusia ship, which was the largest vessel of its time and capable of transporting 600 passengers. Since a ship of this size would leak a considerable amount of water through the hull, the Archimedes' screw was purportedly developed in order to remove the bilge water. The screw was a machine with a revolving screw shaped blade inside a cylinder. It was turned by hand, and could also be used to transfer water from a low-lying body of water into irrigation canals. Archimedes' claw: Archimedes' claw was invented to defend the city of Syracuse. Known as the 'ship-shaker', it is shaped like a crane arm, from which a large metal hook was balanced. When the claw was dropped on an attacking ship, it would lift the ship by swinging the arm upwards and then sink the ship.

Death Ray: There have bee n many doubts about Archimedes weapon of the death Ray. However in 2005 the Death Ray was proved and tested by a University class (MIT). Using over one hundred mirrors,they made a dummy profile of ship with 5 inch thick wood which ignited after focusing all the mirrors to a specific point on the ship. this experiment was then carried out again on a real boat in the water with the help of the 'mythbusters'.Thus proving Archimedes death ray as no longer a theory but a definitely possibility that this 'death ray' tactic was used against the roman ships in Syracuse. Mathematics: Mostly known as inventor of mechanical devices, we cannot ignore Archimedes' contribution to Mathematics. Being unhappy with the existing one, Archimedes is known to have invented his own Greek number system, so that he could accommodate more of his invented numbers. According to some, the greatest invention of Archimedes is 'integral calculus'. Using this, he measured the section of areas surrounded by geometric figures. He broke the sections into a number of rectangles and then added the areas together. This principle is known as 'integration'. Also a part of the discovery of 'integral calculus' is 'differential calculus'.

He calculated ways to approximate the slope of the tangent lines of his figures. In the 'Measurement of Circle' Archimedes discovers the value of the square root of 3 as being more than 265/153 (approximately 1.732) and less than 1351/780 (approximately 1.7320512). The accurate value is rounded to 1.7320508076. He aquainted us with this principle without offering any explaination. In 'The Quadrature of the Parabola', Archimedes proved that the area enclosed by a parabola and a straight line is 4/3 multiplied by the area of a triangle with equal base and height. In 'The Sand Reckoner', he set out the impossible task of calculating the number of sand grains the universe could contain. He challenged that it was not impossible to do, even if sand grains were too large to be counted. His friend King Gelo thought this was hardly possible. To solve the problem of sand grains, Archimedes invented a system based around the myriad or uncountable in Greek.

It also denoted 10,000 in the Greek number system. He fixed a number system using powers of myriads (100 million) and finally calculated the number of sand grains in the universe as 8x1063 . Sites Referred: Archimedes Biography - life, school, son, book, information, born, time Archimedes Biography Syracuse Greek mathematician Archimedes is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He is also famed for his inventions and for the colorful—though unproven—ways he is believed to have made them. Early life Little is known about Archimedes's life. He probably was born in the seaport city of Syracuse, a Greek settlement on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. He was the son of an astronomer (someone who studies outer space, such as the stars) named Phidias. He may also have been related to Hieron, King of Syracuse, and his son Gelon. Archimedes studied in the learning capital of Alexandria, Egypt, at the school that had been established by the Greek mathematician Euclid (third century B.C.E. ). He later returned to live in his native city of Syracuse.

There are many stories about how Archimedes made his discoveries. A famous one tells how he uncovered an attempt to cheat King Hieron. The king ordered a golden crown and gave the crown's maker the exact amount of gold needed. The maker delivered a crown of the required weight, but Hieron suspected that some silver had been used instead of gold. He asked Archimedes to think about the matter. One day Archimedes was considering it while he was getting into a bathtub. He noticed that the amount of water overflowing the tub was proportional (related consistently) to the amount of his body that was being immersed (covered by water). This gave him an idea for solving the problem of the crown. He was so thrilled that he ran naked through the streets shouting, "Eureka!" (Greek for "I have discovered it!"). Archimedes. Library of Congress . There are several ways Archimedes may have determined the amount of silver in the crown. One likely method relies on an idea that is now called Archimedes's principle. It states that a body immersed in a fluid is buoyed up (pushed up) by a force that is equal to the weight of fluid that is displaced (pushed out of place) by the body.

Using this method, he would have first taken two equal weights of gold and silver and compared their weights when immersed in water. Next he would have compared the weight of the crown and an equal weight of pure silver in water in the same way. The difference between these two comparisons would indicate that the crown was not pure gold. Archimedes also studied aspects of the lever and pulley. A lever is a kind of basic machine in which a bar is used to raise or move a weight, while a pulley uses a wheel and a rope or chain to lift loads. Such mechanical investigations would help Archimedes assist in defending Syracuse when it came under attack. Wartime and other inventions According to the Greek biographer Plutarch (c. C.E. 46–c. C.E. 120), Archimedes's military inventions helped defend his home city when it was attacked by Roman forces. Plutarch wrote that after Hieron died, the Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus (c. 268 B.C.E. –208 B.C.E. ) attacked Syracuse by both land and sea.

According to Plutarch Archimedes's catapults (machines that could hurl objects such as heavy stones) forced back the Roman forces on land. Later writers claimed that Archimedes also set the Roman ships on fire by focusing an arrangement of mirrors on them. Nevertheless, despite Archimedes's efforts, Syracuse eventually surrendered to the Romans. Archimedes was killed after the city was taken, although it is not known exactly how this occurred. Perhaps while in Egypt, Archimedes invented the water screw, a machine for raising water to bring it to fields. Another invention was a miniature planetarium, a sphere whose motion imitated that of the earth, sun, moon, and the five planets that were then known to exist. Contributions to mathematics Euclid's book Elements had included practically all the results of Greek geometry up to Archimedes's time. But Archimedes continued Euclid's work more than anyone before him. One way he did this was to extend what is known as the "method of exhaustion." This method is used to determine the areas and volumes of figures with curved lines and surfaces, such as circles, spheres, pyramids, and cones.

Archimedes's investigation of the method of exhaustion helped lead to the current form of mathematics called integral calculus. Although his method is now outdated, the advances that finally outdated it did not occur until about two thousand years after Archimedes lived. Archimedes also came closer than anyone had before him to determining the value of pi, or the number that gives the ratio (relation) of a circle's circumference (its boundary line) to its diameter (the length of a line passing through its center). In addition, in his work The Sand Reckoner, he created a new way to show very large numbers. Before this, numbers had been represented by letters of the alphabet, a method that had been very limited. For More Information Bendick, Jeanne, and Laura M. Berquist. Archimedes and the Door to Science. Minot, ND: Bethlehem Books, 1997. Ibsen, D. C. Archimedes: Greatest Scientist of the Ancient World. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1989.

Also read article about Archimedes from Wikipedia User Contributions: 10 facts about Archimedes - fun and interesting Archimedes facts Ten fun facts about Archimedes Fact 1 Archimedes was born in 287 BC in the Greek city-state of Syracuse on the island of Sicily. Fact 2 He was sent to Alexandria, Egypt to receive his education. His major interests besides math and science included politics, poetry, astronomy, art, military tactics and music. Fact 3 Archimedes grew up to be a great scientist under the guidance of two of the greatest scholars and mathematicians of the time, Conon of Samos and Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Fact 4 He successfully proved that silver was mixed with the gold crown that was made for King Hiero II. He coined the famous word ï¿½eurekaï¿½, which is almost unanimously used to express great joy upon any new discovery. Fact 5 The Archimedes Screw was a great discover made by him that is still used for irrigation in Egypt. Fact 6 The Claw of Archimedes also known as ï¿½the ship shakerï¿½ was designed by him for the purpose of defending his home city Syracuse.

Fact 7 The Archimedes Principle states that any object immersed in a fluid is buoyed upwards by a force equal to the weight of the displayed fluid. Fact 8 Archimedes was famous for his contributions to the field of mathematics. He determined the exact value of pi. Fact 9 He is also known for his strategic role in ancient war and the development of military techniques. Fact 10 Archimedes Biography - Childhood, Life Achievements & Timeline Scientists Archimedes Biography Archimedes was one of the greatest scientists and mathematicians ever born who made incredible inventions and discoveries. This biography profiles his childhood, life, works, discoveries, experiments, achievements and timeline. 2014 Mathematician, Engineer, Inventor, Physicist, Astronomer Nationality discoveries / inventions Archimedes' Principle, Archimedes' Screw, Hydrostatics, Levers, Infinitesimals Archimedes of Syracuse was an outstanding ancient Greek mathematician, inventor, physicist, engineer and also an astronomer. Although not much is known about his life, he is considered as one of the most eminent scientists and mathematicians of the classical era.

He established strong foundations in the field of mathematics, physics, particularly in statics, hydrostatics and also explained the principle of the lever. In his lifetime, he made many incredible inventions such as designing innovative machines, including screw pumps, compound pulleys and siege machines. He is said to have anticipated modern calculus and analysis and derived a range of geometrical theorems, including the area of a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the area under a parabola. He applied the âmethod of exhaustionâ in calculating the area under the arc of a parabola with the summation of an endless series and gave a precise approximation of pi. He also identified the spiral that bears his name, designed formulae for the volumes of surfaces of revolution and also invented a technique for expressing extremely large numbers. While the inventions of Archimedes were known in the antiquity but his mathematical writings were little known. The first comprehensive compilation of his mathematical writings was not made until c. 530 AD by Isidore of Miletus. The commentaries on the works of Archimedes written by Eutocius in the sixth century AD opened them to a wider audience for the first time.

Only a few copies of Archimedes' written work survived through the middle ages and became an influential source of ideas for scientists during the Renaissance. In addition to that, the discovery in 1906 of unknown works by Archimedes in the Archimedes Palimpsest has thrown new light into how he obtained mathematical results. Childhood & Early Life He was born around 287 B.C in Syracuse on the island of Sicily, Greece. His fatherâs name was Phidias who was an astronomer. Going by Plutarch, he might have been related to King of Syracuse, Hieron and his son Gelon. Heracleides (Archimedesâ friend) had written a biography on him but unfortunately this work had been lost and there is not much information available about his life. Sources reveal that he started his studies in the school that was established by the Greek mathematician Euclid in Alexandria, Egypt. After pursuing his studies, he went back to Syracuse to live in his native city. Archimedes' Principle This was one of the most important discoveries by him. This was a method discovered by him that helps in determining the volume of an object with an irregular shape.

King Hiero II had supplied pure gold to get a crown made for himself but when he received it he suspected that some silver had been used so he called Archimedes to investigate. While taking bath, Archimedes noticed that the amount of water overflowing the tub was proportional to the portion of his body that was being immersed. It stuck to him that the same would apply to the crown and he could use the proportion of both gold and silver to weigh them in water. Archimedes' Screw It is interesting to note that a number of discoveries made by him were a result of the requirements of his home city â Syracuse. Going by the Greek writer Athenaeus of Naucratis, King Hiero II gave Archimedes the task of designing a ship, âSyracusiaâ that could carry large number of people, supplies and could be used as a naval warship. Syracusia was large enough to be able to carry 600 people. It had a gymnasium, a temple that was dedicated to the Goddess Aphrodite and also possessed a garden.

A ship of this gigantic proportion would leak a huge amount of water through the hull, so Archimedes invented a screw to remove the bilge water (the bilge is the lowest compartment on the ship and the water that collects in this area is called bilge water). The Archimedesâ screw was a device with a revolving screw-shaped blade inside a cylinder. The Archimedesâ screw still holds importance and is used to propel liquids as well as solids like grain and coal. Claw of Archimedes Also known as the âShip Shakerâ, it was designed by him to defend his city. It comprised of a crane-like arm from which a large metal-grasping hook was hung. When the claw was plunged onto an attacking ship, the arm would swing upwards, lifting the ship out of the water and perhaps even sinking it. In order to test the feasibility of the device, modern experiments have been conducted. In 2005, a documentary titled âSuper weapons of the Ancient Worldâ featured a version of the claw and declared that it was workable device.

Heat Ray Going by the work of the 2nd century AD author Lucia, Archimedes destroyed enemy ships with fire during the Siege of Syracuse. Centuries later, this weapon was mentioned as âBurning glassesâ, by Anthemius of Tralles. This device is also known as âArchimedes heat rayâ. Sunlight was focused on the approaching ships with the help of this device and the ships caught fire. The credibility of this device has, however, always been a matter of debate since the Renaissance. It has been rejected as false by RenÃ© Descartes whereas modern researchers emphasize that the effect could be recreated. It is suggested that large array of highly polished bronze or copper shields might have been used and they would have acted as mirrors to focus sunlight onto a ship. Contributions to Mathematics Archimedes made huge contribution to the field of mathematics as well. Centuries ago, this genius was able to use infinitesimals in a manner similar to the modern integral calculus. Through the âMethod of Exhaustionâ, he approximated the value of Ï.

By this method areas and volumes of figures with curved lines and surfaces, such as pyramids, cones, circles and spheres could be determined. This helped the mathematicians to form integral calculus that forms an important part of current mathematics. He also proved that the area of a circle was equal to Ï multiplied by the square of the radius of the circle (Ïr2). In âThe Quadrature of the Parabolaâ, Archimedes verified that the area encircled by a parabola and a straight line is 4â3 times the area of an equivalent inscribed triangle. In Measurement of a Circle, he derived the value of the square root of 3 as lying between 265â153 (approximately 1.7320261) and 1351â780 (approximately 1.7320512). The actual value is approximately 1.7320508, which is a very accurate estimate.

Other Inventions Archimedes also worked on lever and gave explanation about them and the principle involved in his work âOn the Equilibrium of Planesâ. Going by Plutarch, Archimedes designed block-and-tackle pulley systems. This allowed sailors to use the principle of leverage to lift heavy objects. Credit has also been given to him for working on catapult and improving its accuracy and power. During the First Punic War he also invented an odometer. In 1586, hydrostatic balance for weighing metals in air and water was invented by Galileo Galilei, which was inspired by Archimedesâ work. Writings of Archimedes The works that he had written have not survived. The information on the existence of seven of his treatises is through references made by other authors. His works were written in Doric Greek, the local language of Syracuse. In 530 A.D, Byzantine Greek architect Isidore of Miletus was the first one to collect his writings. In 6th Century A.D, Eutocius wrote commentaries on his works and these helped in bringing Archimedes work in the sphere of the common man.

During 836-901 A.D, ThÄbit ibn Qurra translated his work in Arabic and during 1114 â 1187 A.D Gerard of Cremona translated his work in Latin. The works of Archimedes that survived are namely On the Equillibrium of Planes, On Spirals, On Measuremant of Circles, On Cuboids and Spheroids, On Floating Bodies, On Sphere and Cylinders, (O)stomachion, The Quadrature of the Parabola, The Method of Mechanical Theorem, Archimedesâs Cattle Problem and The Sand Reckoner. Archimedes Palimpsest is the most illustrious document that contains Archimedesâ Works. Major Works He was a great scientist and mathematician who made several discoveries and inventions. Some of his most important works were Archimedes' principle, Archimedes' screw, hydrostatics, levers, and infinitesimals. Personal Life & Legacy Not much information about his personal life is available but historians believe that he breathed his last somewhere around 212 B.C or 211 B.C.

This was when Syracuse was conquered by Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Archimedes was killed by a Roman soldier. Archimedes was working on a mathematical diagram when a soldier approached him saying that the general wanted to meet him, but he refused saying that he had to finish his work first. This enraged the soldier and killed Archimedes with his sword. Going by Plutarch, Archimedes might have been killed while he was surrendering to the soldier. Archimedes was carrying mathematical instruments which the soldier interpreted to be precious gems. There was a sculpture on the tomb of Archimedes that embellishes his favorite mathematical proofs, a cylinder and a sphere. Both are of same height and diameter. Trivia In 1960s, a tomb was discovered in a hotel courtyard in Syracuse and was claimed to be his but the location of it today is not known to anyone. He was referred as âSuperhumanâ by Galileo who time and again praised his works and drew inspiration from them. A crater on the Moon has been named Archimedes and a lunar mountain range has been named as Montes Archimedes to honor him. Asteroid 3600 Archimedes bears his name.

The Fields of Medal for outstanding achievement in mathematics carries a portrait of Archimedes. Archimedes featured on postage stamps that were issued in 1963 in Spain, 1971 Nicaragua, 1973 in East Germany, 1982 in Marino and 1983 in Greece and Italy. âEurekaâ was the word that he uttered in excitement, now forms the state motto of California. It relates to the discovery of gold near Sutter's Mill in 1848 that ignited the California Gold Rush. In 213 B.C he played a pivotal role in the defense of Syracuse by constructing war machines. These machines were so effective that they delayed the capture of the city against the siege laid by the Romans. There is no reliable evidence to prove this but it is said that the last words of this great scientist and mathematician were âDo not disturb my circlesâ. Top 10 Facts You Did Not Know About Archimedes Along with arithmetic and science, Archimedes was also interested in poetry, arts, and music.

His mentors were two of the greatest scholars and mathematicians of the time, Conon of Samos and Eratosthenes of Cyrene. An interesting though apocryphal tale regarding him is that he used a huge array of mirrors to burn the Roman ships besieging Syracuse. One of his favorite areas of study was catoptricsâthe branch of optics dealing with the reflection of light from mirrors, plane or curved. The popular story of him leaping from the bath and running naked through the streets to announce an important discovery is probably fictional. He is also known for his development of military techniques to be used in wars. Even though far more details survive about the life of Archimedes than about any other ancient scientist, most of these details are largely anecdotal. The device which came to be known as âArchimedes screwâ is still used in some developing countries for irrigation purposes. Most of his written works are of a theoretical character and he left no works on the practical inventions he excelled in. It is claimed that Archimedes was already aware of the Heronâs formula for calculating the area of a triangle from the length of its sides.

The first reliable reference to the formula, however, was given by Heron of Alexandria in the 1st century AD. Translate this page to Spanish, French, Hindi, Portuguese Pictures of Archimedes Archimedes The Life and Work of Archimedes Archimedes The Life and Work of Archimedes 3 ] What do you think of when you hear the name Archimedes ? A ship floating on the sea ? Great war machines protecting ancient Syracuse ? Water screws irrigating the desert ? Burning mirrors setting fire to Roman warships? Spheres, cylinders, circles, spheroids, conoids, spirals ? Perhaps a field of cattle or a universe full of sand ? A lever to " move the earth .' These were all things that Archimedes considered during his life. Archimedes was an ancient Greek mathematician and inventor born in Syracuse on the island of Sicily. His birth date is estimated to be 287 B.C. by the fact that John Tzetzes, a twelfth-century Byzantine historian, stated that he died at the age of 75 during the sack of Syracuse in 212 B. C.

1 Archimedes was the son of Pheidias, an astronomer known for his investigations into the sizes and distances of the sun and the moon. It was also said by Plutarch that Archimedes was related to Hieron, King of Syracuse. It is known that Archimedes spent some of his life in Alexandria, the center of scientific activity during his era. It was in Alexandria that Ptolemy I Soter (died 283 B.C.) invited a circle of philosophers and literary men from Greece to study. He founded the "Museum" and "Library" an academy where arts and sciences were cultivated. Scholars from Greece, Babylonia, and Rome gathered to study under the professors of the "Museum" Among the sciences cultivated in Alexandria were geometry, algebra, trigonometry, astronomy, astrology, geography, surveying, mechanics, and alchemy. The Alexandrians were generally specialists straying away from the old Greek philosophy that "all learning" is province 2 . One of the first of the famous Alexandrian scholars was Euclid with his Elements of Geometry and it is suspected that while Archimedes was in Alexandria he studied with the pupils of Euclid.

It is also assumed that while in Alexandria Archimedes became friends with the Conon of Samos and with Eratosthenes. It was to Conon that he sent his discoveries before publication, and after the death of Conon to Dositheus of Pelusium, the friend and pupil of Conon. Through Eratosthenes Archimedes introduced the Cattle Problem to the mathematicians of Alexandria, and it was for Eratosthenes that Archimedes wrote the Method 3 . Upon his return to Syracuse from Egypt, Archimedes devoted his life to the study of mathematics. He felt that his mechanical inventions, which were in fact what provided him with his fame, were ï¿½merely the diversions of a geometer at play".

In Plutarch's words, "he possessed so high a spirit, so profound a soul, and such treasures of scientific knowledge that , though these inventions had obtained for him the renown of more than human sagacity, he yet would not deign to leave behind him any written work on such subjects, but regarding as ignoble and sordid the business of mechanics and every sort of art which is directed to use and profit." 4 Because of this belief, Archimedes wrote only on strictly mathematical subjects, with the exception of one work, On Sphere Making. It is the assertion of Pappus that this work is a description of the construction of a devise composed of concentric glass spheres, moved by water power, representing the apparent motions of the planets, moon, sun, and perhaps the constellations. It was said by Cicero that Marcellus took as booty from the sack of Syracuse an instrument of this type. 5 It seems that it was the devotion to Hieron that induced Archimedes to divert his mathematical studies to his engineering skills. There are many "stories" of Archimedes' achievements in this field that are difficult to substantiate but many indicate that the inventions were created at Hieron's request.

A well published story by Vitruvius is that of Hieron's desire to know if all the gold he had given to a goldsmith to create a crown was actually used instead of being substituted with an amount of silver. The story says that the problem was presented to Archimedes causing considerable puzzlement. While pondering the problem he visited a public bath and noticed that the water in the tub rose in proportion to the amount that he immersed his body into it. This indicated a solution to the problem because Archimedes observed that by noting the difference in overflow when the crown and equal weights of gold or silver were immersed he would be able to distinguish if the crown were of pure gold. Ancient Greece Archimedes More Info NECA/IBEW - Your Power Partners Who are we? The Power Partners represents an innovative partnership between the National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Between us, we represent the best in electrical contracting and labor. Our partnership represents the highest in quality electrical work with the highest return on investment to owners, developers, contractors, municipalities and others. ANCIENT GREECE ARCHIMEDES Years, from archimedes. Respectable mathematician it inventions now clock c.287 to.

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Question: On which island is the city of Syracuse, ancient home to the mathematician and scientist, Archimedes?
Answer: SICILY