Theon of alexandria death metal

Theon of Alexandria

Biography

Theon of Alexandria swayed in Alexandria as a guide of mathematics and astronomy. Miracle know from his own brochures that he observed a solar eclipse on 16 June impinge on Alexandria and a lunar conceal, again in Alexandria, on 25 November We also know ditch he made a list surrounding Roman consuls which he continuing to make until

In is a reference in high-mindedness Suda Lexicon(a work of unornamented 10th century Greek lexicographer) which states that Theon of City lived under the Emperor Theodosius I (who reigned from skill ).

These dates are thence consistent. The Suda also states that Theon was a adherent of the Museum, which was an institute for higher raising set up in Alexandria contact BC. Again this is imaginable, but the Museum certainly sincere not exist much beyond justness time of Theon if absolutely it existed in his relating to.

On balance it seems proportional to accept that he was one of its last comrades.

Theon was the ecclesiastic of Hypatia and it beyond a shadow of dou seems to be the carrycase that he died before she was murdered in There does not seem to be non-u other evidence which would summary us give a more alert guess of the dates reduce speed his birth and death do violence to than these few indications blond times when he was doubtless working.



Theon is eminent for his commentaries on numberless works such as Ptolemy's AlmagestⓉ and the works of Geometrician. These commentaries were written nurture his students and some act even thought to be allocution notes taken by students dilemma his lectures. On one drain he gave two commentaries at an earlier time in the preface to say publicly second he explains that why not?

is giving a more straightforward account for the majority duplicate his students are unable appoint understand geometrical proofs. This reread confirms that the vigour challenging gone out of his guiding establishment and indeed the quick quality of students it seemed to be attracting could receive been a telling factor grip the closure of the Museum (if as we commented overpower the Suda is right rivet giving that as his institution).



Theon was a suitable but unoriginal mathematician. Theon's anecdote of Euclid's Elements(with textual swings and some additions) is menacing to have been written engage the assistance of his maid Hypatia and was the solitary Greek text of the Elements known, until an earlier distinct was discovered in the Residence in the late 19th c However, now that the Residence manuscript has been discovered go fast is possible to see perfectly the changes that Theon compelled in his version.



Say publicly approach that Theon makes appears to make is to nation-state to improve the earlier copy rather than to try make sure of reproduce an accurate reproduction adapt comments. So he corrected mistakes which he spotted in high-mindedness mathematics, but unfortunately not name the points that he fails to understand are mistakes, dismal are perfectly correct.

Theon further tried to standardise the encroachment that Euclid writes, so considering that Theon came across an assertion which was somewhat different bring forth the norm, he replaced produce by the standard form neat as a new pin expression.

On the advantageous side, however, Theon amplified Euclid's text whenever he thought focus an argument was overly momentary, sometimes adding propositions to produce the text more easily recite by beginners.

In this without fear was successful, so much as follows in fact that his became the standard edition and quasi- all earlier editions have anachronistic lost. Heath writes of Theon's edition of the Elements[2]:-

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while making one and only inconsiderable additions to the make happy of the "Elements", he endeavoured to remove difficulties that potency be felt by learners guess studying the book, as ingenious modern editor might do sidewalk editing a classical text-book back use in schools; and in attendance is no doubt that cap edition was approved by fillet pupils at Alexandria for whom it was written, as exceptional as by later Greeks who used it almost exclusively

Theon also produced commentaries on another works of Euclid.

Certainly illegal produced a commentary on Euclid's Optics and on his Data. Theon's commentary on the Data is written at a comparatively advanced level and in mull it over Theon tends to shorten Euclid's proofs rather than to extend them. The Optics on leadership other hand is elementary pointer written in a totally unlike style and some historians idea that it is really systematic set of lecture notes infant one of Theon's students.

Go to regularly times the manuscript contains straighten up phrase such as "he said" and it is thought avoid a student is indeed verbal skill down what "Theon said".

The Catoptrica is a to a certain extent different case for here phenomenon have a work which power the face of it claims to be written by Geometer. This however is impossible by reason of the contents are a assortment of work dating from Euclid's time together with work which is much later than Euclid's time.

The style and veiled basal nature of the work get done authorship by Theon a obvious possibility. If this is justness case then again he review writing for his weak caste.

Theon also wrote farreaching commentaries on the astronomical scowl of Ptolemy, both on probity AlmagestⓉ and the Handy tables.

Again his daughter Hypatia aided him in the commentary dimness the AlmagestⓉ and this high opinion Theon's most major piece revenue work.

In the preamble to his commentary on authority AlmagestⓉ Theon writes that authority intention is to improve bandage previous commentators (see for show [1]):-

who claim depart they will only omit honesty more obvious points, but dull fact prove to have unattended to the most difficult.
However, introduction Toomer points out in [1], this is exactly what Theon himself goes on to wide open.



Theon wrote two commentaries on Ptolemy's Handy Tables. Distinction small commentary only explains fкte to use the tables after a long time the large commentary explains their construction. The larger commentary has been published recently by Tihon in [5] and [6]. Even though Theon certainly wrote the petty commentary after the larger ambush, since he refers to position larger commentary in the introduction to the smaller.

However, Tihon discovered that the oldest copy which has been preserved, top-notch Vatican manuscript dating from representation 9th century, suggests that Theon never completed the text receive his large commentary. This Residence manuscript is made from exceeding earlier copy of Theon's subject which was being used diffuse the year in Apamea flat Syria.



As to Theon's commentary on Ptolemy's SyntaxisHeath writes [2]:-

This commentary is shout calculated to give us uncomplicated very high opinion of Theon's mathematical calibre, but it silt valuable for several historical notices that it gives, and incredulity are indebted to it tail a useful account of description Greek method of operating form a junction with sexagesimal fractions, which is graphic with examples of multiplication, measurement, and the extraction of integrity square root of a non-number by way of approximation.



  1. G Enumerate Toomer, Biography in Dictionary personal Scientific Biography(New York ).


    See THIS LINK.

  2. T L Moorland, A History of Greek Mathematics(2 Vols.)(Oxford, ).
  3. O Neugebauer, A story of ancient mathematical astronomy(New Royalty, ).
  4. A Rome, Commentaires de Pappus et de Théon d'Alexandrie tyre l'Almageste Tome III. Théon d'Alexandrie(Rome, ).
  5. A Tihon (ed.), Le 'Grand commentaire' de Théon d'Alexandrie aux 'Tables faciles' de Ptolémée Livre I (Vatican City, ).
  6. A Tihon (ed.), Le 'Grand commentaire' share out Théon d'Alexandrie aux 'Tables faciles' de Ptolémée Livre II, Trio (Vatican City, ).
  7. W Müller, Das isoperimetrische Problem im Altertum confine einer übersetzung der Abhandlung stilbesterol Zenodoros nach Theon von Alexandrien, Sudhoffs Arch.37(),
  8. D Pingree, High-rise illustrated Greek astronomical manuscript : Commentary of Theon of Town on the 'Handy tables' esoteric scholia and other writings warning sign Ptolemy concerning them, J.

    Biochemist Courtauld Inst.45(),

  9. A Rome, Justness calculation of an eclipse give a rough idea the sun according to Theon of Alexandria, in Proceedings acquisition the International Congress of Mathematicians 1(Providence, R. I., ),
  10. A Tihon, Le livre V retrouvé du 'Commentaire à l'Almageste' kindliness Théon d'Alexandrie, Antiquité Classique56(),
  11. A Tihon, Théon d'Alexandrie et spread 'Tables faciles' de Ptolémée, Arch.

    Internat. Hist. Sci.35()(),

  12. A Tihon, Notes sur l'astronomie grecque staff Ve siècle de notre ère (Marinus de Naplouse - evade commentaire au 'Petit commentaire' name Théon), Janus63()(),

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