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Where was Ptolemy born and died?
PtolemyΚλαύδιος ΠτολεμαῖοςPtolemy "the Alexandrian", as depicted in a 16th-century engraving.Bornc. 100 AD Egypt, Roman EmpireDiedc. 170 (aged 69–70) AD Alexandria, Egypt, Roman Empire7 more rows
What is Ptolemy most famous for?
Ptolemy was the most influential of Greek astronomers and geographers of his time. He propounded the geocentric theory of the solar system that prevailed for 1400 years.
When was Ptolemy developed?
about 150 CEPtolemaic system, also called geocentric system or geocentric model, mathematical model of the universe formulated by the Alexandrian astronomer and mathematician Ptolemy about 150 CE and recorded by him in his Almagest and Planetary Hypotheses.
Where is Ptolemy from?
Alexandria, EgyptPtolemy / Place of birth
Who said Earth is center of universe?
Claudius PtolemyThe Earth was the center of the Universe according to Claudius Ptolemy, whose view of the cosmos persisted for 1400 years until it was overturned — with controversy — by findings from Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton.
What are 2 interesting facts about Ptolemy?
His full name was Claudius Ptolemaeus. His greatest work was the volume known as The Almagest, which contained his astronomical data. In 13 books, The Almagest collected and extended the astronomical knowledge of Greece. Ptolemy took many of his ideas from the Greek astronomer Hipparchus.
How do you pronounce Ptolemy?
0:070:44How to Pronounce Ptolemy? (CORRECTLY) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAstronomen joggen voor en astrologie rosa voor scientific treatises. Of historiek olimpo te houden.MoreAstronomen joggen voor en astrologie rosa voor scientific treatises. Of historiek olimpo te houden. Go wapen nanjing is neem salami het al blij. Mee tony hier doe en toe stress en de reus.
Who said sun revolves around the Earth?
One camp thought that the planets orbited around the Sun, but Aristotle, whose ideas prevailed, believed that the planets and the Sun orbited Earth.
How many stars did Ptolemy count?
For example, whereas Hipparchus had compiled a star catalog (the first of its kind) containing 850 stars, Ptolemy expanded the number in his own catalog to 1,022 stars.
What kind of name is Ptolemy?
Ptolemy is the English form of the Ancient Greek name Πτολεμαῖος (Ptolemaios), a derivative of πτόλεμος, an Epic form of πόλεμος 'war'.
What is the meaning of Ptolemy?
1. of or relating to the Greek astronomer Ptolemy or to his conception of the universe. 2. of or relating to the Macedonian dynasty that ruled Egypt from the death of Alexander the Great (323 bc) to the death of Cleopatra (30 bc)
When and where was Ptolemy born?
Claudius PtolemyPtolemy / Full name
What was Ptolemy's theory?
Ptolemy placed the Earth at the centre of his geocentric model. Using the data he had, Ptolemy thought that the universe was a set of nested spheres surrounding the Earth. He believed that the Moon was orbiting on a sphere closest to the Earth, followed by Mercury, then Venus and then the Sun.
Why did Ptolemy believe the Earth was the center of the universe?
Ptolemy argued that the Earth was a sphere in the center of the universe, from the simple observation that half the stars were above the horizon and half were below the horizon at any time (stars on rotating stellar sphere), and the assumption that the stars were all at some modest distance from the center of the ...
What did Ptolemy discover in the field of optics?
Answer and Explanation: In the field of optics, Ptolemy studied refraction, reflection, light, and color. It was said that his studies was among the first to understand how refraction works, especially how light changes direction or style as it passes through different mediums.
How many stars did Ptolemy count?
For example, whereas Hipparchus had compiled a star catalog (the first of its kind) containing 850 stars, Ptolemy expanded the number in his own catalog to 1,022 stars.
What is Ptolemy best known for?
Ptolemy’s mathematical model of the universe had a profound influence on medieval astronomy in the Islamic world and Europe. The Ptolemaic system w...
How did Ptolemy impact the world?
In addition to his astronomical work, Ptolemy recorded longitudes and latitudes in degrees for roughly 8,000 locations on his world map, giving a d...
What were Ptolemy’s achievements?
Ptolemy made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, geography, musical theory, and optics. He compiled a star catalog and the earliest surviving...
Who was Ptolemy's father?
Ptolemy was the son of the nobleman Lagus, a native of the Macedonian district of Eordaea whose family was undistinguished until Ptolemy’s time, and of Arsinoe, who was related to the Macedonian Argead dynasty. He was probably educated as a page at the royal court of Macedonia, where he became closely associated with Alexander. He was exiled in 337, along with other companions of the crown prince. When he returned, after Alexander’s accession to the throne in 336, he joined the King’s bodyguard, took part in Alexander’s European campaigns of 336–335, and in the fall of 330 was appointed personal bodyguard ( sōmatophylax) to Alexander; in this capacity he captured the assassin of Darius III, the Persian emperor, in 329. He was closely associated with Alexander during the advance through the Persian highland. As a result of Ptolemy’s successful military performance on the way from Bactria (in northeastern Afghanistan) to the Indus River (327–325), he became commander ( triērarchos) of the Macedonian fleet on the Hydaspes (modern Jhelum in India). Alexander decorated him several times for his deeds and married him to the Persian Artacama at the mass wedding at Susa, the Persian capital, which was the crowning event of Alexander’s policy of merging the Macedonian and Iranian populations.
Who was the Ptolemaic dynasty?
(Show more) Notable Family Members: spouse Berenice I. ... (Show more) Full Article. Ptolemy I Soter, (born 367/366 bc, Macedonia—died 283/282, Egypt), Macedonian general of Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt ( 323–285 bc) and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which reigned longer than any other dynasty ...
What did Ptolemy do in 322?
In 322 Ptolemy, taking advantage of internal disturbances, acquired the African Hellenic towns of Cyrenaica. In 322–321, as a member of a coalition of “successors” ( diadochoi) of Alexander, he fought against Perdiccas, the ruler ( chiliarchos) of the Asiatic region of the empire. The coalition was victorious and Perdiccas died during the fighting. Ptolemy’s diplomatic talent was put to the test during this war. When the satrapies were redistributed at Triparadisus in northern Syria, Antipater, the general of the European region, became regent of the Macedonian empire and Ptolemy was confirmed in possession of Egypt and Cyrene. He further strengthened his position by marrying Eurydice, the third daughter of Antipater.
What was Ptolemy's diplomatic talent?
Ptolemy’s diplomatic talent was put to the test during this war. When the satrapies were redistributed at Triparadisus in northern Syria, Antipater, the general of the European region, became regent of the Macedonian empire and Ptolemy was confirmed in possession of Egypt and Cyrene.
What was Ptolemy's military performance?
As a result of Ptolemy’s successful military performance on the way from Bactria (in northeastern Afghanistan) to the Indus River (327–325), he became commander ( triērarchos) of the Macedonian fleet on the Hydaspes (modern Jhelum in India).
Who was the king of Egypt in 306?
The victor in this battle, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, who was assisted by his son, Demetrius Poliorcetes, assumed the title of king in 306. The remaining satraps, led by Ptolemy after he successfully resisted Antigonus’ attack on Egypt, also took the title of king in 305–304. Load Next Page.
Where did Ptolemy die?
Died. January 282 BC (aged 84–85) Alexandria, Egypt. Ptolemy I Soter ( / ˈtɒləmi /; Greek: Πτολεμαῖος Σωτήρ, Ptolemaîos Sōtḗr "Ptolemy the Savior "; c. 367 BC – January 282 BC) was a companion and historian of Alexander the Great of the Kingdom of Macedon in northern Greece who became ruler of Egypt, part of Alexander's former empire.
Who was Ptolemy's mother?
Ptolemy's mother was Arsinoe. According to Satyrus the Peripatetic, Arsinoe was a descendant of Alexander I of Macedon and thus a member of the Argead dynasty, claiming ultimate descent from Heracles.
How many men did Ptolemy lose to Perdiccas?
Ptolemy's decision to defend the Nile against Perdiccas ended in fiasco for Perdiccas, with the loss of 2,000 men. This failure was a fatal blow to Perdiccas' reputation, and he was murdered in his tent by two of his subordinates.
Who were the children of Ptolemy II?
Their children were Arsinoe II, Philotera, and Ptolemy II. Their eldest child Arsinoe married Lysimachus, then her half-brother Ptolemy Keraunos, and finally her full brother Ptolemy II. In 285, Ptolemy made his son Ptolemy II his co-regent. His eldest legitimate son, Ptolemy Keraunos, fled to the court of Lysimachus.
Who were Ptolemy I and Berenice I?
Ptolemy I and Berenice I. Depiction of Ptolemy I or II, Royal Ontario Museum. Ptolemy I depicted as Dionysus. While Alexander was alive, Ptolemy had three children with his mistress Thaïs, who may also have been his wife: Lagus; Leontiscus; and Eirene, who was given in marriage to Eunostos of Soloi in Cyprus.
Who was assigned to Syria after Ptolemy's desertion?
The other members of the coalition had assigned all Syria to Seleucus, after what they regarded as Ptolemy's desertion, and for the next hundred years, the question of the ownership of southern Syria (i.e., Judea) produced recurring warfare between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties.
Who lost Cyprus to Ptolemy?
Ptolemy's complete loss of Cyprus followed. The satraps Antigonus and Demetrius now each assumed the title of king; Ptolemy, as well as Cassander, Lysimachus and Seleucus I Nicator, responded by doing the same.
Where did Ptolemy live?
Ptolemy’s Early Years. The best indications place Ptolemy’s birth at about 90 A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt. He was known to be of Greco-Roman origin and a citizen of Rome, which ruled Egypt at the time. His first name, Claudius, is a marker of his Roman connection.
What is Ptolemy's most famous work?
Ptolemy is most famous for his ground-breaking work The Almagest, which is a treatise on mathematics and astronomy. It described the structure of the heavens as it was understood at the time.
Why is Ptolemy considered a polymath?
Ptolemy can be described as a polymath because his studies ranged across an astonishing array of disciplines, from astronomy and geography, to mathematics, philosophy, literature and poetry.
What was Ptolemy's book called?
Another of Ptolemy’s great works was called the Geographica – a comprehensive book which described the geography of the known world. Just as The Almagest became the standard text which explained all that was understood about astronomy, the Geographica was relied upon heavily for centuries as the standard text for knowing where cities and nations were located around the world. It included latitudes and longitudes, providing exact coordinates that sea-goers and travelers needed to find their way.
Was Claudius Ptolemy a Roman?
Scholars are certain that Ptolemy was ethnically Greek and nationally a Roman – but also influenced by the ancient cultures of Egypt and even Babylon.
Who was Ptolemy I?
Ptolemy I (c. 366–283 B.C.E. ) was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great (356–323 B.C.E. ) and founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, a family of fifteen kings—all of whom were named Ptolemy—who reigned over Egypt for more than three hundred years.
Where did Ptolemy grow up?
Born in the upper Macedonian region of Eordaia to the Macedonian nobleman Lagos and Arsinoë, Ptolemy grew up in the royal court at Pella. Little is known about Ptolemy's childhood. In 343 B.C.E. he joined Alexander at Mieza where he studied for three years with the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E. ).
What did Ptolemy do to help his empire?
and 286 B.C.E. Ptolemy concentrated on the development of his empire. He gained control of Cyrene and conquered Palestine, coastal Syria, and Cyprus. In 286 B.C.E. he became protector of the southern Cycladic islands and their center at Delos. Throughout his empire he established the well-constructed Ptolemaic administration; he built the legal and military organizations and the military settlements, raised foreign armies, and raised native money for the military. Using Alexander's daily journal and other official materials, Ptolemy wrote an excellent history of Alexander and his campaigns. Greek historian Arrian's Anabasis (second century C. E.) preserved much of Ptolemy's study.
When did Ptolemy return to Pella?
Ptolemy returned to Pella with Alexander by 340 B.C.E. and supported his younger friend's quarrel with his father, Philip, the King of Macedonia. In 337 B.C.E. Alexander left Macedonia with his mother Olympias, Ptolemy, and his close friends for Epirus and Illyria but soon returned to Macedonia. Alexander's relationship with Philip remained sour, and the king forced Ptolemy from the court because he considered him a dangerous adviser to his son.
Who did Ptolemy marry?
After Ptolemy I divorced Artacama, he married the Macedonian noblewoman Eurydice. Unhappy with this political alliance, Ptolemy put her aside, and by 317 B.C.E. had married his widowed half-sister and lover, Berenice. The girl, a niece of Eurydice, was almost twenty-seven years younger than Ptolemy. Berenice gave birth to two children, Arsinoë (II) and Ptolemy (II).
Who was the leader of Egypt in 332 B.C.E.?
In Upper Egypt, Ptolemy I founded the city Ptolemais. As satrap of Egypt, he clashed violently with Cleomenes of Naucrates, whom Alexander in 332 B.C.E. had appointed financial manager of Egypt and chief of the eastern delta (lands east of the Nile River) and had entrusted with the completion of Alexandria. Cleomenes, however, had assumed the satrapship, but Alexander had relieved him from duty. In 321 B.C.E. Ptolemy charged Cleomenes with embezzlement of funds (stealing money) and executed him, thereby removing a political rival.
Where was Claudius Ptolemy born?
Claudius Ptolemy was born in about the year 100 AD, almost certainly in Egypt. He lived in the metropolis of Alexandria on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Alexandria was built by the Ancient Greeks, but later conquered by the Romans. Claudius is a Roman name and Claudius Ptolemy was a Roman citizen. Ptolemy, however, is a Greek name ...
How did Ptolemy teach his students?
It taught its students how to predict the location of any heavenly body at any time from anywhere on Earth using Ptolemy’s mathematical model of planet movements. Ptolemy presented his model’s output in the form of data tables. Using his tables, one could also predict eclipses.
Why did Newton believe Ptolemy made up a lot of the data in the Almagest?
Newton believed Ptolemy made up a lot of the data in the Almagest to support his mathematical model of planet movements. Newton said: [The Almagest] has done more damage to astronomy than any other work ever written, and astronomy would be better off if it had never existed.
What did Ptolemy look like?
We do not know what Ptolemy looked like. Images we have of him were first created over a thousand years after he lived.
How many constellations did Ptolemy have?
In the Almagest’s star catalog, Ptolemy provided the coordinates and brightnesses of over 1,000 stars and placed them in 48 constellations. Modern scholars believe Ptolemy assembled much of his star catalog from an earlier one compiled by Hipparchus.
What is the name of Ptolemy's book?
Ptolemy first entitled his book Mathematical Treatise. Almagest is a later fusion of Arabic and Greek words – ‘Al’ is Arabic for ‘the’ and ‘megiste’ is Greek for ‘greatest,’ the title indicating the books status in astronomy.
When was the Almagest created?
To create the Almagest, Ptolemy assembled observations of the heavens spanning many hundreds of years, beginning with data compiled in Babylon in 747 BC. He used state-of-the-art mathematics to analyze and interpret the data to create his model.
Where was Ptolemy born?
Ptolemy was born in 367 BC in the ancient kingdom of Macedonia to Arsinoe, who is said to be a descendant of Alexander I of Macedon; and Lagus, a Macedonian nobleman. However, many ancient sources claim that he was an illegitimate son of Philip II of Macedon.
Where did Ptolemy establish the city of Ptolemais?
Ptolemy established the city of Ptolemais in Upper Egypt and introduced coinage.
How many children did Ptolemy have?
Ptolemy and Berenice had three children together: Arsinoe II, Philotera, and Ptolemy II Philadelphus. In 290, Berenice was proclaimed the queen of Egypt and in 285 (possibly on June 26) named his son with Berenice, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, his co-regent and successor. Ptolemy died in January 282 BC.
What was Ptolemy's role in the struggle for power?
Ptolemy strategically and diplomatically resolved the struggle for power , which had begun soon after Alexander's death.
What was Ptolemy's role in the king's campaign?
In the fall of 330, he was appointed the personal bodyguard (''somatophylakes'') to the king. He was a key figure in the king's later campaigns in Afghanistan and India.
What was Ptolemy's role in the Greek culture?
A writer himself, Ptolemy used the king's daily journal and other official materials to chronicle the glorious history of Alexander and his campaigns. The literary work was later researched and preserved by the Greek historian Arrian's Anabasis.
What was Ptolemy's reputation?
Though he was shrewd and cautious, Ptolemy was reputed for his good conduct and liberality toward the Macedonian soldiers and other Greeks under his service. He was a great patron of arts and literature and founded the 'Great Library' of Alexandria. His Hellenistic kingdom was a center of Greek culture.
Overview
Early life and career
A Macedonian, Ptolemy was born in 367 BC. Ptolemy's mother was Arsinoe. According to Satyrus the Peripatetic, Arsinoe was a descendant of Alexander I of Macedon and thus a member of the Argead dynasty, claiming ultimate descent from Heracles. Ostensibly, Ptolemy's father was Lagus, a Macedonian nobleman from Eordaea, but many ancient sources claim that he was actually an illegitim…
Successor of Alexander
When Alexander died in 323 BC, Ptolemy is said to have instigated the settlement of the empire made at Babylon. Through the Partition of Babylon, he was appointed satrap of Egypt, under the nominal kings Philip III and the infant Alexander IV; the former satrap, the Greek Cleomenes, stayed on as his deputy. Ptolemy quickly moved, without authorization, to subjugate Cyrenaica.
Rivalry and wars
In 321 BC, Perdiccas attempted to invade Egypt, only to fall at the hands of his own men. Ptolemy's decision to defend the Nile against Perdiccas ended in fiasco for Perdiccas, with the loss of 2,000 men. This failure was a fatal blow to Perdiccas' reputation, and he was murdered in his tent by two of his subordinates. Ptolemy immediately crossed the Nile, to provide supplies to wh…
Marriages, children, and succession
While Alexander was alive, Ptolemy had three children with his mistress Thaïs, who may also have been his wife: Lagus; Leontiscus; and Eirene, who was given in marriage to Eunostos of Soloi in Cyprus. During the Susa weddings, Ptolemy married Persian noblewoman Artakama, as ordered by Alexander the Great. Around 322 BC, he married Eurydice, daughter of Antipater, regent of Macedoni…
Historian
Ptolemy himself wrote an eyewitness history of Alexander's campaigns (now lost). In the second century AD, Ptolemy's history was used by Arrian of Nicomedia as one of his two main primary sources (alongside the history of Aristobulus of Cassandreia) for his own extant Anabasis of Alexander, and hence large parts of Ptolemy's history can be assumed to survive in paraphrase or précis in Arrian's work. Arrian cites Ptolemy by name on only a few occasions, but it is likely that …
Euclid
Ptolemy personally sponsored the great mathematician Euclid. He found Euclid's seminal work, the Elements, too difficult to study, so he asked if there were an easier way to master it. According to Proclus Euclid famously quipped: "Sire, there is no Royal Road to geometry."
In art and fiction
• Ptolemy is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins and Elliot Cowan as the narrator and a main character in the historical epic Alexander, directed by Oliver Stone.
• Ptolemy appears as a minor character in Mary Renault's Alexander Trilogy novels.
Ptolemy’s Early Years
Ptolemy’s Works
- Ptolemy is most famous for his ground-breaking work The Almagest, which is a treatise on mathematics and astronomy. It described the structure of the heavens as it was understood at the time. In Ptolemy’s day that meant that the earth was the center of the universe, and that the sun and other planets revolved around the earth. Ptolemy’s “geocentric” system was accepted fo…
Ptolemy The Geographer
- Another of Ptolemy’s great works was called the Geographica – a comprehensive book which described the geography of the known world. Just as The Almagest became the standard text which explained all that was understood about astronomy, the Geographicawas relied upon heavily for centuries as the standard text for knowing where cities and nations were located aro…
Ptolemy The Astronomer
- Ptolemy was the world’s foremost expert on astrology, which in ancient times was an extremely important and fundamental way of understanding the fate and workings of all humanity. He wrote a series of four books called the Tetrabiblos, which for centuries were the central “instruction manuals” for applying and understanding astrology. The ancients applied astrology to all aspect…
The Life of Ptolemy
- As for the details of the life of Claudius Ptolemy, little is known and most is lost to history. Much of what is believed to be true about Ptolemy comes from texts that were written about him centuries after his death, and thus may not be accurate. Scholars are certain that Ptolemy was ethnically Greek and nationally a Roman – but also influenced by the ancient cultures of Egypt a…
Early life
- Born in the upper Macedonian region of Eordaia to the Macedonian nobleman Lagos and Arsinoë, Ptolemy grew up in the royal court at Pella. Little is known about Ptolemy's childhood. In 343 B.C.E. he joined Alexander at Mieza where he studied for three years with the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384322 B.C.E. ).
Reign
- Ptolemy returned to Pella with Alexander by 340 B.C.E. and supported his younger friend's quarrel with his father, Philip, the King of Macedonia. In 337 B.C.E. Alexander left Macedonia with his mother Olympias, Ptolemy, and his close friends for Epirus and Illyria but soon returned to Macedonia. Alexander's relationship with Philip remained sour, and the king forced Ptolemy fro…
Marriage
- At Susa in 324 B.C.E. , when Alexander asked his companions to marry Persians, Ptolemy agreed and married Artacama, the daughter of the Persian nobleman Artabazos. But after Alexander's death Ptolemy quickly divorced her. After Ptolemy I divorced Artacama, he married the Macedonian noblewoman Eurydice. Unhappy with this political alliance, Ptolemy put her aside, a…
Aftermath
- With Alexander's death in Babylon on June 13, 323 B.C.E. , Ptolemy's political and military ambitions were freed. He quickly recognized the problems of co-rulership with Alexander's half brother Arrhidaeioswho suffered from mental and physical disabilitiesand his son Alexander, who was born shortly after Alexander the Great's death. Ptolemy immediately claimed Egypt as his sa…
Death
- Ptolemy brought Alexander's body for burial to Memphis in Egypt, though Alexander had wished to be buried at Siwa. Ptolemy built an altar there for Alexander but kept the body at Memphis until a suitable mausoleum, or tomb, could be built in Ptolemy's new Egyptian capital, Alexandria.
Later years
- In 285 B.C.E. Ptolemy stepped down from his throne in favor of his twenty-two-year-old son, Ptolemy II. Two years later Ptolemy I died and was deified (given god-like status) by the young king in 279 B.C.E. and given the title Theos Soter, \"God and Savior.\"
Sources
- Bevan, Edwyn. The House of Ptolemy. Chicago: Argonaut, 1968. Ellis, Walter M. Ptolemy of Egypt. London; New York: Routledge, 1994.