Syllabus
Week 1: Reading - Ch. 1. Ancient Math 1T 4/05 Introduction: course plan, the itinerary 1R 4/07 Tour of Athens, 600 BC to 529 AD Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle, Academy and Lyceum Week 2: Reading - Ch. 2. Early Greek Math 2T 4/12 The Journey of Alexander the Great, 334-323BC 2R 4/14 Tour of Alexandria, 331 BC to 641 AD Philosophy background: Epicurean and Stoic, Neoplatonic and early Christian Week 3: Reading - Ch. 3. Archimedes and Apollonius 3T 4/19 Alexandria, cont. Museum and Library Euclid, his works, the Elements 3R 4/21 Early Christianity, 300-550 Biobibs from Alexandria to Byzantium Week 4: Reading - Ch. 4. Hellenistic Math 4T 4/26 Tour of Byzantium, 327-800 4R 4/28 Early Islam, 610-765 Week 5: Reading - Ch. 5. Late Greek Math 5T 5/03 Tour of Baghdad, the first fifty years 5R 5/05 Biobibs from Byzantium to Baghdad Week 6: Reading - Ch. 6. China and India 6T 5/10 Tour of Cordoba Islam in Spain and Egypt 6R 5/12 Translations from Arabic to Latin in Spain Week 7: Reading - Ch. 7. Islamic Math 7T 5/17 Tour of Palermo Translations from Greek to Latin in Sicily 7R 5/19 Birth of European mathematics Week 8: Reading - Ch. 8. Medieval European Math, Interchapter 8T 5/24 The Italian Renaissance 8R 5/26 The Northern Renaissance Week 9: Reading - Ch. 9. Algebra in the Renaissance 9T 5/31 no meeting (Exchange day) 9R 6/02 presentations Week 10: Reading - Ch. 10. Math in the Renaissance 10T 6/7 presentations 10R 6/9 presentations 11W 6/15 FINAL 12-3pm