Answer to Question #193750 in Physical geography for Emmanuella

Question

Examine the ideas of Greek philosophers on the shape and size of the earth during the

classical times

Answer 1

On the whole, Greek philosophers thought the Earth is flat-ish and had no idea how large it is: Leucippus and Democritus were 'flat-eartheners,' while Anaximander believed the Earth is a cylinder.

However, Pythagoras thought that the Earth is a spherical body. Later, Aristotle came to a similar conclusion.

But one of them was different: Eratosthenes not only believed that the earth is a 'ball', he was the first who determined the circumference of the earth, which was surprisingly close to modern knowledge.