Sourcebook in the Mathematics of Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean

An invaluable reference book on the mathematics of Greek antiquity.

Euclid, Archimedes, and Apollonius are familiar names to many of us, and their contributions have shaped mathematical practice up to modern times. Yet the mathematical activity of Greek antiquity extended far beyond their achievements and was furthered by diverse individuals in different contexts. Sourcebook in the Mathematics of Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean brings together an extensive collection of primary source materials that document the extraordinary breadth of mathematical ideas developed in the Eastern Mediterranean from 500 BCE to 500 CE, a millennium in which Greek cultural influence spanned the ancient world.

Weaving together ancient commentaries with the works themselves, Victor Katz and Clemency Montelle present a wealth of newly translated texts along with sources difficult to find elsewhere, from writings by the great mathematical thinkers of Greek antiquity to those by practitioners who used mathematics in everyday life. This comprehensive and wide-ranging sourcebook includes lesser-known authors who made critical contributions, sometimes in languages other than Greek, as well as accounts of technical instrumentation, papyri by anonymous authors designed for teaching purposes, and evidence of hand computations and numerical tables.

An essential resource for anyone interested in the mathematical achievements of this remarkable intellectual culture, Sourcebook in the Mathematics of Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean encompasses disciplines that illustrate the important role of mathematics in ancient Greek society more broadly, from astronomy, music, and optics to philosophy, literature, and theater.

"[Sourcebook in the Mathematics of Ancient Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean] will certainly be a rich and useful tool for historians of mathematics, but the authors have carefully organized and framed the texts so that even a generally interested reader will enjoy browsing through the material and learn some surprising facts."---Adhemar Bultheel, Newsletter of the Belgian Mathematical Society

Victor J. Katz is professor emeritus of mathematics at the University of the District of Columbia. His books include Sourcebook in the Mathematics of Medieval Europe and North Africa (Princeton).

Clemency Montelle is professor of mathematics at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Her books include Chasing Shadows: Mathematics, Astronomy, and the Early History of Eclipse Reckoning.

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