Know Ptolemy One of The Sharpest Minds in Ancient Greece

Ptolemy

Claudius Ptolemy was a Greek mathematician who was born in AD 100 in the city of Alexandria. Apart from being a mathematician, he was a geographer, astronomer, and astrologer. he was also a Roman citizen. He kicked the bucket in Alexandria around AD 168.

He wrote several scientific treatises

The first treatise is the astronomical treatise which is commonly known as Almagest. Initially, it was called the Mathematical Treatise and later called Great Treatise.

The second treatise was on Geography, In this treatise, he has written everything about world Geography.

The third treatise is the astrological treatise astrology.

Ptolemy has a notable position in the history of mathematics He is famous because of the mathematical methods that he has implemented to astronomical problems. His ideas and works on trigonometry are very significant. The earliest surviving table of a trigonometric function is Ptolemy’s table of the lengths of chords. In spherical trigonometry, he also implemented fundamental theorems.

In science, Ptolemy studied about Optics. He said a lot about angles of incidence and reflection.

For nearly 8,000 locations all over the globe, He was able to figure out the longitudes and latitudes in degrees and set it in his world map.

Table of Contents

• Ptolemy Books
• Other Mathematicians like Ptolemy
• Quotes By Ptolemy
• FAQ About Ptolemy

Ptolemy Books

Ptolemy has written more than 15 books. Here is the list of a few of his famous books.

1. Almagest
2. Geography by Ptolemy
3. Tetrabiblos
4. Planisphaerium
5. Cosmography: Latin Codex
6. The Almagest: Introduction to the Mathematics of the Heavens
7. Optics by Ptolemy
8. Ptolemy’s Geography: An Annotated Translation of the Theoretical Chapters
9. Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos, Or Quadripartite: Being Four Books of the Influence of the Stars
10. Ancient India, as described by Ptolemy
11. System Design, Modeling, and Simulation Using Ptolemy II
12. Die Harmonielehre des Klaudios Ptolemaios Ptolemy
13. Ptolemy’s catalog of stars
14. Ptolemaios und Porphyrios über die, Musik Ptolemy
15. The Criterion of Truth
16. Descrizione Della Sfera celeste in piano Ptolemy
17. Ptolemy’s Quadripartite; Or, Four Books Concerning the Influences of the Stars.

Other Mathematicians like Ptolemy

Few of the Mathematicians who are were like him are:

Hero of Alexandria, Thales of Miletus, Archimedes were also few of the mathematicians from Alexandria.

Aryabhata from India was also a Mathematician as well as Astronomer.

Shakuntala Devi was also a Mathematician and Astrologer.

Quotes By Ptolemy

‘I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the Earth. . .”

FAQ About Ptolemy

What is Ptolemy best known for?

Ptolemy was an astronomer and mathematician. He believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe. … To make his predictions true, he worked out that the planets must move in epicycles, smaller circles, and the Earth itself moved along an equant

What was Ptolemy’s theory?

The Ptolemaic system was a geocentric system that postulated that the irregular paths of the Sun, Moon, and planets were a combination of several regular circular motions seen in perspective from a stationary Earth.

What did Ptolemy believe?

He believed that the other stars and planets used to revolve around the earth and the center of the universe is earth.

What age did Ptolemy die?

At the age of 70, in the year 170 AD Ptolemy died.

Who thought the earth was the center of the universe?

Ptolemy was the one who thought that the center of the universe was earth.

What did Ptolemy contribute to science?

In optics, By measuring angles of incidence and reflection, Ptolemy set this principle. Ptolemy also said that the lines of sight vary in materials of different densities, such as air, water, and glass.

Who were Ptolemy’s parents?

Philip was born to Macedon and Arsinoe of Macedon

Where was Ptolemy buried?

Ptolemy was buried in Macedon.

When did Ptolemy live and die?

Ptolemy was born in AD 100 Egypt, Roman, and kicked the button on AD 170 in Alexandria, Egypt. He lived for around 70 years.

Reference:

For More about Ptolemaic Astronomy from the Princeton University.