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'''Posidonius''' (
135 BC -
51 BC), was a
Greek philosopher,
astronomer,
geographer and
meteorologist.
Nicknamed "the Athlete", he was born in
Apamea, northern
Syria, and probably died in
Rome or
Rhodes.
Posidonius was a student of
Panaetius of Rhodes. He was a
stoic with many influential friends. His pupils were
Cicero and
Pompey. Some of his researches were valuable. As
Pytheas he believed the
tide is caused by the
Moon. He travelled to the west to the
Atlantic Ocean. In about
90 BC he estimated the
astronomical unit to be ''a''
0/''r''
E = 9893, what was still for a 1/2 too small. He measured the size of the
Sun, which was greater and more accurate than one proposed by other Greek astronomers and
Aristarchus. He used
Eratosthenes' method and measured
Earth's circumference from the position of the star
Canopus. His value was 240,000
stadia.
He wanted to master the whole knowledge of that time, similar as
Aristotle or Eratosthenes did.
==External links==
* Theosophy Library Online page:
http://theosophy.org/tlodocs/teachers/PosidoniusOfApamea.htm
* Technology Museum of
Thessaloniki page
http://www.tmth.edu.gr/en/aet/7/82.htmlde:Poseidonios
ru:Посидоний
sl:Posidonij
