Medieval Manuscripts Online

Antique Science Genius Archimedes – Killed by Romans Who Came to Honor Him

Indeed he had, a complicated mathematical solution giving the answer to the question put to him by the King of Syracuse: how to prove whether the goldsmith had added any impurities to the solid gold in his crown. Syracuse and southern Italy have Greek columns at many locations as these were provinces of Greece centuries before Rome began an inevitable growth and expansion to overcome all.

Observers later noted that Archimedes had entered the baths slowly as if deep in thought, and only after a series of sinking into and rising from his bath, had he jumped up and ran from the baths, shouting Eureka as he ran into the streets. Upon reaching the palace of the king, Archimedes was supplied with a robe, presumably, before reporting his discovery to the king. He stated in great excitement that he had noticed, by his rising and sinking in the baths, how his body displaced an equal volume of water.

Through this, to a series of complex conclusions, he was able to allow his king to conduct perhaps the first scientific experiment in history. Archimedes was soon the talk of Syracuse as word got around of mad alchemist Archimedes who was the only citizen allowed by the king to run shouting, naked through the streets. All because he babbled in antique books learning. Rare science books come out of hot baths brought to you naked: this one did.

Science books tell the truth as known in antique times, how so typical of natural scientific genius, it was the pure mathematical nature of an unknown that drew him to write in books: not the earthly mechanics of solving a personal problem, even when it came to the amazing devices he created that held off the Romans for over three years in their attempt to take over the Kingdom of Sicily. The Roman General Marcellus had orders to take Sicily, and the capital, Syracuse, or not return to Rome alive. And as usual, Rome would triumph, but here in the early days of the Roman Empire, it was not always a given.

In the lifetime of Archimedes (287-212 B.C.E) the growing empire of Rome, fading Greece and Egypt were still all more or less equal powers yet. Being educated in Alexandria, Egypt, Archimedes had made his name by inventing the Archimedes Screw, still in use today to pull water, or grain upward. By turning the twisting screw, water could be extracted. Back home in Syracuse, he was most content, like Newton almost two thousand years later, to sit and observe, write notes, relent to help build machines to irrigate or make work reluctantly, often leaving some of his most amazing achievements out of his antique science books.

Archimedes death came after the Romans were forced to starve out, then rely on betrayal as Archimedes’ giant cranes were picking Roman galleons out of the sea, giant levers were shooting balls of burning tar at the Roman ships, articles of war unseen before, and picked up by Romans as their own, after their flawed victory. When Marcellus entered Syracuse, all civic leaders appeared to him and bowed before their new leader. And here is one of those ironies of life that could have happened yesterday, and none of us would be surprised.

Marcellus, eager to offer his tribute to Archimedes and begin to use his talents, but a bit annoyed that Archimedes was not there, sent for Archimedes so they could talk. And as these instructions passed from officer to sergeant to common foot soldier with a large sword the message became blunter: bring Archimedes to the General at once. The soldier, simple lad, found Archimedes on a beach, scratching an equation in the sand, which would have been duly entered into his next science books. The soldier barked his orders to Archimedes, who waved his hand and said in effect, wait a minute, I must finish writing this down lest I forget.

The soldier, taking this as unacceptable behavior from an old fool with a stick on the beach, told to come bow before his Caesar and waved me away. The soldier did as Roman soldiers do when they meet resistance or impudence. He raised his sword, and, Archimedes joined the ages. Upon hearing this Marcellus furious, embarrassed, knew he had lost a brilliant mind. The soldier did not get a promotion, Archimedes family were honored all their lives by Marcellus. More on Archimedes, he produced an extraordinary series of mathematical theories and principals, many form the basis of modern mathematical knowledge and have come forward from the world’s first, and finest scientists in the history of the earth. Archimedes achieved more, and we talk about that soon.

There is such an amazing feeling to read old manuscripts and sense the moments of aha in the life of a scientist, and how soon others are proving and building on each scientific move forward, sometimes in cooperation, sometimes in fragile ego battles. Some of these stories in our steps forward are included here. He said, Antique science books [http://www.antiquesciencebooks.com]. She said, Greek antiques, We say, Roman Antiques [http://www.romanantiqueshop.com].

Derek Dashwood

About the Author

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