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Geometry

The term 'geometry' comes from the Ancient Greek words 'geo', meaning 'earth,' and 'metric', meaning 'measuring.'

 

Another category of the Quadrivium was geometry, which comprised geometric figures, measurement standards, mathematical constructions, ... In the below you can find a small selection.

When unfolded this Roman folding ruler represents the length of 1 pes (more specifically, the 'pes monetalis').

 

The engraved dots represent either the digitus (1/16 of the pes) or the uncia (1/12 of the pes).

 

If you visit the museum of Tongeren in Belgium, make sure to look for the archaeological original of this measuring instrument among the grave gifts.

The five Platonic models, the pyramid, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron, have very specific geometric properties. They were associated with the elements fire, earth, wind, ether and air.

 

The thirteen Archimedean models were derived from the five Platonic models.

The Greeks thought that the world was built from the smallest building blocks. They also believed these blocks had the shapes of the Platonic solids.

 

What could have inspired them to think like this? In our quest for knowledge, we travel to the mines of Laurium and admire the beauty of crystals.

The cone of Apollonius with the conic sections of the circle, ellipse, parabola and hyperbola.

 

The circle was seen as one of the 'ideal figures', inspiring Plato to use the circle as a metaphor for the ideal society.

 

The shape of the Colosseum in Rome looks looks elliptical, but the ancient engineers had a good reason to choose a different geometric figure.

This silver-plated reproduction of one of the Vicarello cups depicts the cities on the route from Gades in the south of Spain, along the east coast of Spain, through southern France and then over the Alps, to end in Rome. Next to each city name the distance from the previous city is engraved. The unit of distance is the 'mille passus' (the Roman mile).

 

Can you find the cities Valencia and Narbonne on the picture of the Vicarello cup?

 

At the bottom of the cup the total distance between Gades and Rome is listed: 1840 'mille passus'. You would expect the Roman numeral MDCCCXXXX to be engraved, but this is not the case ...