Apollonius | |
|---|---|
| Ἀπολλώνιος | |
 Imaginary depiction of Apollonius from a 1537 edition of his works | |
| Born | c. 240 BC |
| Died | c. 190 BC |
| Known for | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geometry |
Apollonius of Perga (Greek: Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ Περγαῖος Apollṓnios ho Pergaîos; c. 240 BC – c. 190 BC) was an ancient Greek geometer and astronomer known for his work on conic sections. Beginning from the earlier contributions of Euclid and Archimedes on the topic, he brought them to the state prior to the invention of analytic geometry. His definitions of the terms ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola are the ones in use today. With his predecessors Euclid and Archimedes, Apollonius is generally considered among the greatest mathematicians of antiquity.[1]
Aside from geometry, Apollonius worked on numerous other topics, including astronomy. Most of this work has not survived, where exceptions are typically fragments referenced by other authors like Pappus of Alexandria. His hypothesis of eccentric orbits to explain the apparently aberrant motion of the planets, commonly believed until the Middle Ages, was superseded during the Renaissance. The Apollonius crater on the Moon is named in his honor.[2]
- ^ Ball 1960, p. 52.
- ^ Ji, Shanyu. "Apollonius and Conic Sections" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.