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Life and Contributions of Eratosthenes

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Eratosthenes of Cyrene was a Greek polymath known for his precise calculation of the Earth's circumference and his role as the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. His contributions spanned geography, where he introduced latitude and longitude, and mathematics, with the creation of the sieve of Eratosthenes for identifying prime numbers. He also made strides in scientific chronology and produced a variety of literary works. His legacy endures as a foundational figure in several scientific disciplines.

Early Life and Education of Eratosthenes

Eratosthenes of Cyrene, born circa 276 BCE in the Hellenistic city of Cyrene, now part of modern-day Libya, was a distinguished Greek scholar known for his work in various disciplines. Cyrene was a prosperous center of Greek culture and learning within the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Eratosthenes received a comprehensive education at the local gymnasium, which included physical training, social studies, and academic subjects. To further his intellectual pursuits, he traveled to Athens, the epicenter of Greek philosophy and science. There, he studied under prominent philosophers, including Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, and Aristo of Chios. His time in Athens also included studying at the Platonic Academy and exploring poetry with the poet-scholar Callimachus, reflecting his wide-ranging interests and thirst for knowledge.
South Asian man measures the shadow of a stick in ancient Alexandria, with the Library in the background and a stone well to the right.

Contributions to Geography and Mathematics

Eratosthenes' contributions to geography and mathematics were groundbreaking. He is most famous for calculating the circumference of the Earth with astonishing precision for his time. He employed a method that utilized the angles of the sun's rays at different locations and the distance between those locations. Eratosthenes also estimated the Earth's axial tilt and devised a map of the world that included a system of latitude and longitude. In mathematics, he developed the sieve of Eratosthenes, a simple algorithm to identify prime numbers. His advancements in geography included the introduction of terms still used today and the conceptual division of the Earth into five climatic zones. His seminal work, "Geography," spanned three volumes and detailed the world as it was known then, though the original has not survived.

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Birthplace and time of Eratosthenes

Born circa 276 BCE, Cyrene, Hellenistic city, now modern-day Libya.

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Eratosthenes' contributions to disciplines

Greek scholar, worked in various fields including geography, mathematics, astronomy, and poetry.

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Eratosthenes' educational journey post-Cyrene

Traveled to Athens for advanced studies, learned from philosophers like Zeno of Citium and Aristo of Chios.

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