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Science in the Ancient World presents a worldwide history of science, from prehistoric times through the medieval period. It covers Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas and includes topics ranging from alchemy and astrology to psychology and physics. This work spans prehistory to 1500 CE, examining thousands of years of history in four world regions: Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Highlights of this period include the onset of civilization and science in Mesopotamia and Egypt, the accomplishments of the ancient Greeks between 700 BCE and 100 CE, the adaptation of Greek science by the Romans, the spread of Greek science during the Hellenistic Age, the expansion of Islamic power and commensurate scientific knowledge, and the development of science and philosophy in ancient China and India.Focusing on the history of the science that blossomed in the above regions, scientific disciplines covered include alchemy, astronomy, astrology, agriculture, architecture, biology, botany, chemistry, engineering, exploration, geography, hydraulics, institutions of science, marine science, mathematics, medicine, meteorology, military science, myth and religion, philosophy, philosophy of science, psychology, physics, and social sciences. In all of these fields, theory and application are explored, as are leading individuals and schools of thought, centers of intellectual activity, and notable accomplishments and inventions.>
List of contents
Preface
Introduction
PART 1 The Beginnings of Science1 The Scientific Mentality before the Onset of Civilization (Prehistory-4000 BCE)
2 Civilization and Science in Ancient Mesopotamia (4000-300 BCE)
3 Civilization and Science in the Nile River Valley (3100-300 BCE)
PART 2 Magic, Religion, and Science4 Magic, Superstition, and Science in the Ancient World (4000 BCE-500 CE)
5 Ancient Religion and Science (4000 BCE-500 CE)
PART 3 Science in Ancient Central, Southern, and Eastern Asia6 Science in Ancient Central and Southern Asia (3000 BCE-500 CE)
7 Science in Ancient Eastern Asia (2100 BCE-400 CE)
PART 4 The Ancient Greeks8 Ionian Greek Science (750-300 BCE)
9 Science in Magna Graecia (750-300 BCE)
10 Classical Greek Science (500-300 BCE)
11 Athenian Science (500-300 BCE)
PART 5 Geographical and Astronomical Knowledge12 Exploration and Geographical Knowledge in the Ancient World (4000 BCE-500 CE)
13 Phoenician and Carthaginian Science (1000-200 BCE)
14 Astronomy in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds (4000 BCE-1500 CE)
PART 6 The Expansion of Greek Science15 Hellenistic Greece (331-30 BCE)
16 Greek Philosophy and the Philosophy of Science (750-100 BCE)
17 Greek Science in the Roman Empire (750 BCE-500 CE)
PART 7 Greco-Roman Science18 Medical Science in Ancient Greece (750-100 BCE)
19 Medical Science in the Roman Empire (300 BCE-500 CE)
20 Mathematical Science in Ancient Greece and Rome (750 BCE-200 CE)
21 Science during the Pax Romana (31 BCE-180 CE)
PART 8 Applied Science in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds22 Engineering and Technology in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds (4000 BCE-1500 CE)
23 Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds (500 BCE-1500 CE)
PART 9 Science in the Later Roman and Byzantine Empires24 Late Roman Science (180-500 CE)
25 Byzantine Science (300-1450 CE)
PART 10 The Impact of Ancient Science upon Medieval Asia, Africa, and Europe26 Science in Medieval Mesopotamia and the Levant (600-1500 CE)
27 Science in Moorish Spain (700-1450 CE)
28 Science in Medieval Africa (500-1500 CE)
29 Science in Medieval Central and Southern Asia (500-1500 CE)
30 Science in Medieval East and Southeast Asia (400-1644 CE)
31 Science and Philosophy during the European Middle Ages (500-1300 CE)
PART 11 Expansion of Science into New Worlds32 Exploration and Geographic Knowledge in the Medieval World (500-1500 CE)
33 Science in the Americas (500-1500 CE)
PART 12 The Impact of Ancient and Medieval Science upon Modern Science34 Conclusion: The Scientific Revolution
Chronology
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Russell M. Lawson, PhD, Tulsa Community College, USA. Russell is an independent scholar and writer who has authored thirteen monographs including, Science in the Ancient World: An Encyclopedia (2004), and Servants and Servitude in Colonial America (Praeger, 2018).
