Apollonius of Perga
Ancient Greek geometer who defined conic sections.
Apollonius of Perga was an ancient Greek geometer and astronomer, active in the late 3rd and early 2nd centuries BC. He is best known for his work on conic sections, building on earlier contributions by Euclid and Archimedes, and his definitions of the terms ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola remain in use today. Along with Euclid and Archimedes, he is generally considered among the greatest mathematicians of antiquity.
- field
- Geometry, astronomy
- nationality
- Ancient Greek (from Perga in Pamphylia)
- known_for
- Work on conic sections; definitions of ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola; hypothesis of eccentric orbits for planetary motion
Lore & Background
Scant biographical information remains for Apollonius. Specific birth and death years given by modern scholars are only speculative. Perga was a Hellenized city in Anatolia, but Apollonius likely lived, studied, and wrote in Alexandria, as implied by autobiographical material in his surviving prefaces. Apollonius's prefaces to the books of his Conics are letters to influential friends. The first two are addressed to Eudemus of Pergamon, who may have been a mentor. Apollonius mentions that the work was initially requested by a geometer named Naucrates, and that he visited Pergamon. Later prefaces are addressed to a mysterious Attalus, possibly Attalus II Philadelphus. Apollonius sent his son, also named Apollonius, to deliver the second preface. He also mentions meeting Philonides of Laodicea, a geometer who became Eudemus's student.
Reader's Guide
Apollonius's sole surviving work is Conics, of which only the first four books survive in the original Greek; books 5–7 are preserved in an Arabic translation by Thābit ibn Qurra, and the status of book 8 is unknown. His definitions of ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola are the ones still in use today. Beyond geometry, Apollonius worked on astronomy, proposing a hypothesis of eccentric orbits to explain planetary motion, a view commonly believed until the Middle Ages and superseded during the Renaissance. Most of his other writings are lost, surviving only as fragments referenced by authors such as Pappus of Alexandria. The Apollonius crater on the Moon is named in his honor. His legacy rests on his systematic treatment of conic sections, which laid the groundwork for later developments in mathematics and astronomy.
Did You Know?
- Apollonius's definitions of ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola are the ones in use today.
- His hypothesis of eccentric orbits to explain planetary motion was commonly believed until the Middle Ages.
- The Apollonius crater on the Moon is named in his honor.
- Only one of his works, Conics, survives; most of his writings are lost except for fragments referenced by other authors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Apollonius of Perga?
He was an ancient Greek geometer and astronomer from the city of Perga in Pamphylia, active during the late 3rd and early 2nd centuries BC. He is widely regarded as one of the three greatest mathematicians of the ancient world, alongside Euclid and Archimedes.
What is Apollonius of Perga best known for?
His monumental treatise on conic sections stands as his defining legacy. In that work he formalized the definitions of the ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola—terms that remain the standard vocabulary in geometry today.
How did Apollonius of Perga build on earlier mathematicians?
He extended and systematized the work on conics that Euclid and Archimedes had begun, producing a far more complete and rigorous treatment. His synthesis became the definitive reference on the subject for centuries afterward.
What did Apollonius of Perga contribute to astronomy?
Beyond geometry, he proposed a hypothesis involving eccentric orbits to account for observed planetary motion. This was a notable step in the development of pre-Copernican astronomical models.
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