MATHEMATICIAN

Ctesibius

284 BC - 221 BC

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Ctesibius or Ktesibios or Tesibius (Ancient Greek: Κτησίβιος; fl. 285–222 BCE) was a Greek inventor and mathematician in Alexandria, Ptolemaic Egypt. Very little is known of Ctesibius' life, but his inventions were well known in his lifetime. He was likely the first head of the Museum of Alexandria. He wrote the first treatises on the science of compressed air and its uses in pumps (and even in a kind of cannon). Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ctesibius is the 112th most popular mathematician (down from 85th in 2019), the 127th most popular biography from Egypt (down from 99th in 2019) and the 6th most popular Egyptian Mathematician.

Ctesibius is most famous for inventing the aeolipile, a device that is similar to a modern day steam engine.

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Among MATHEMATICIANS

Among mathematicians, Ctesibius ranks 112 out of 1,004. Before him are Anthemius of Tralles, Émile Picard, Willebrord Snellius, Paul Cohen, Alexis Clairaut, and Grigori Perelman. After him are Pierre Louis Maupertuis, George Green, Leonid Kantorovich, Alexander Friedmann, William Oughtred, and Gabriel Cramer.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 284 BC, Ctesibius ranks 2. Before him is Ptolemy III Euergetes.  Among people deceased in 221 BC, Ctesibius ranks 3. Before him are Hasdrubal Barca, and Berenice II of Egypt. After him are Conon of Samos, Hasdrubal the Fair, Antigonus III Doson, Lucius Caecilius Metellus, and Sphaerus.

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In Egypt

Among people born in Egypt, Ctesibius ranks 127 out of 642. Before him are Apollos (100), Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (1935), Macarius of Egypt (300), Abbas II of Egypt (1874), Shepseskaf (-2600), and Ammonius Saccas (175). After him are Pope Theophilus of Alexandria (310), Apepi (-1600), Sekhemkhet (-2800), Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani (1372), Isetnofret (-1250), and Setnakhte (-1300).

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Among MATHEMATICIANS In Egypt

Among mathematicians born in Egypt, Ctesibius ranks 6. Before him are Euclid (-350), Hypatia (350), Hero of Alexandria (10), Diophantus (201), and Pappus of Alexandria (290). After him are Theon of Alexandria (335), Menelaus of Alexandria (70), Abū Kāmil Shujāʿ ibn Aslam (850), Ahmes (-1680), Ibn Yunus (950), and Hypsicles (-190).

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