Seleucus of Seleucia
Seleucus of Seleucia | |
---|---|
Σέλευκος ὁ Σελεύκειος | |
Born | c. 190 BC |
Died | c. 150 BC unknown |
Scientific career | |
Fields |
Seleucus of Seleucia (
Heliocentric theory
Seleucus is known to have supported the heliocentric theory of
Since the time of Heraclides Ponticus (387 BC–312 BC), the inferior planets Mercury and Venus have been at times named solar planets, as their positions diverge from the Sun by only a small angle.
According to the Greek geographer
Tides
According to Lucio Russo, Seleucus' arguments for a heliocentric theory were probably related to the phenomenon of tides.[13] The annual cycle of tides (which was studied by Seleucus) can indeed hardly be explained in a geocentric system. Seleucus correctly theorized that tides were caused by the Moon, explaining that the interaction was mediated by the pneuma. He noted that the tides varied in time and strength in different parts of the world. According to Russo, Seleucus ascribed tides both to the Moon and to a whirling motion of the Earth, which could be interpreted as the motion of the Earth around the Earth-Moon center of mass.
According to Strabo (3.5.9), Seleucus was the first to state that the tides are due to the attraction of the Moon, and that the height of the tides depends on the Moon's position relative to the Sun.[11]
Seleucus in Strabo
Seleucus is known from the writings of
In Chapter XVI of his
Kidenas, Naburianos, Sudines, and Seleukos. The first two are also known from astronomical cuneiform texts under their Akkadian names Nabu-Rimannu and Kidinnu.[11]
See also
- Babylonian astronomy
- Greek astronomy
- Discourse on the Tides
References
- ^ Greek astronomer:
The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS):
ScienceWorld:Greek philosopher, born in Seleucia, ...
Greek philosopher who was the one astronomer of note who championed Aristarchus's heliocentric theory.
- ^ Neugebauer 1945, pp. 39–42:
Among several cities named Seleukia, the best known is Seleukia on the Tigris, the capital of the Seleucid kingdom. It is possible that the astronomer Seleukos lived or was born in this city, but it is also possible that his native town was Seleukia on the Erythrean Sea.
- ^ Describing his studies in the tides, Strabo claims that Seleucus was "from the region of the Erythraean Sea" (3.5.9).
- ^ Index of Ancient Greek Philosophers-Scientists Archived 2009-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Seleucus of Seleucia (c. 190 BC–?), The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
- ^ Seleucus of Seleucia (ca. 190–unknown BC), ScienceWorld
- ^ Russell, Bertrand — History of Western Philosophy (2004) – p. 215
- ^ We do not know other names of ancient astronomers or scientists who supported the heliocentric system: Hipparchus and later Ptolemy contributed to the success of the geocentric system; however, in the writings of Plutarch and Sextus Empiricus we read of "the followers of Aristarchus", thus it is probable that other people we do not know of adhered to the heliocentric view.
- ^ Van der Waerden 1987, p. 528
- ^ Van der Waerden 1987, pp. 527−529
- ^ a b c Van der Waerden 1987, p. 527
- ISBN 965-223-626-8
- ^ Russo 2003.
Sources
- doi:10.1086/370729
- ISBN 88-07-10349-4
- doi:10.2307/595168