An Ancient Greek Treatise on Magic Squares
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Beschreibung
The recently discovered Arabic translation of an anonymous ancient treatise describing advanced methods for constructing magic squares has improved our knowledge of Greek mathematics considerably. The early tenth-century translator reports that he found two manuscripts of this treatise, for the greater part damaged by termites. However, since the preserved parts of one made up for the destroyed parts of the other, he could manage to complete his work. This translation was then the starting point for studies on magic squares in Arabic. It appears thus that there existed Greek studies on the subject of magic squares, and at a remarkable stage of advancement. But this being the only text preserved, we are left in ignorance of the earlier history.
Autor*in
Jacques Sesiano
Jacques Sesiano focused his numerous studies on ancient and mediaeval mathematics, as well as early modern science (Euler); recent studies mainly on magic squares and knight's tour.
Themen in »An Ancient Greek Treatise on Magic Squares«
Ancient science Arabic mathematics Arabic translations of Greek texts Greek mathematics History of mathematics History of number theory Magic squares Mediaeval mathematics Recreational mathematics Transmission of knowledge