Who is Eratosthenes and Why is He the Father of Geography?
Discover how Eratosthenes shaped geography and measured the Earth's circumference in ancient times.
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Eratosthenes of Cyrene is often regarded as the main father of geography. He was a Greek scholar who lived in the 3rd century BCE and made significant contributions such as calculating the Earth's circumference and creating one of the earliest maps of the known world.
FAQs & Answers
- What were Eratosthenes' major contributions to geography? Eratosthenes calculated the Earth's circumference and created one of the earliest maps of the known world.
- How did Eratosthenes measure the Earth's circumference? He used the angles of shadows cast in different locations to calculate the Earth's circumference based on the distance between those locations.
- Why is Eratosthenes known as the father of geography? Eratosthenes is considered the father of geography due to his innovative methods in cartography and Earth measurement in ancient times.
- What influence did Eratosthenes have on modern geography? His work laid the groundwork for future geographers, establishing methodologies still used in geography today.