The Dawn of Greek Mathematics

Abstract

The ancient Greek world was not confined to what we now call Greece, but extended to Ionia (western Turkey) in the east, southern Italy and Sicily in the west, and later to Alexandria (Egypt) in the south. Not surprisingly, Greek philosophy and mathematics began in Ionia, where the influence of the older civilizations of the east (e.g., Babylon) was greatest. Later, political events caused many Greeks to emigrate from Ionia to Italy, and this became the center of intellectual life for a while. After the war between a Greek coalition and the Persians ended in the defeat of the latter (490 BC), philosophy and mathematics flourished in Athens. Ultimately, after the founding of Alexandria (331 BC), it was there that most of the major scientific developments took place until about 500 AD.