Hellenistic Science and Culture in the Last Three Centuries B.C.

by George Sarton

Book Overview

"No historian of science equaled him in knowledge, breadth and enthusiasm, none saw the subject whole as he did, and none did so much to promote the study." -- Scientific American.
In the centuries immediately preceding the birth of Christ, geometry, astronomy, physics, anatomy, mathematics, grammar and other disciplines flowered in a nurturing matrix of Greek rationalism mixed with fructifying elements from Egyptian, Jewish, Persian,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486277402
• ISBN13: 9780486277400
• Release Date: October 1993
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 592 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The past comes to life in this historical opus.

This book, as is true of Dr. Sarton's other works, is written in a highly personalized style chuck full of anecdotes and personal musings of the author who has indeed done his homework. Briefly, he takes us on a three hundred year journey through philosophy, language and letters, religion, culture, medicine, science and technology. The timeline of the book begins with the disintegration Alexandrian empire and ends with a discussion of Orientalism and the Parthian empire. The enormous caste of characters of this book include men and women of learning. From recollections of Alexander through Zenon, each individual is well described and neatly framed in this great historical opus. While Dr. Sarton says he "wrote the book for men of science, interested in the origins of their knowlege," I think it may be read with great profit by anyone interested in history. For as Dr. Sarton said "The whole past and world are alive in my heart, and I shall do my best to communicate their presence to my readers".........He does