Archimedes

Archimedes of Syracuse (c. 287 – c. 212 BC) was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time and the leading scientist in classical antiquity. Archimedes applied the method of exhaustion and the concept of infinitesimals to prove many geometrical theorems, including the area of a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere, and the area under a parabola. He also provided approximations of pi (π) and developed a system for expressing very large numbers. In physics, his contributions include a proof of the law of the lever and the enunciation of the law of buoyancy (Archimedes' principle). He is also credited with inventing mechanical devices like the Archimedes' screw and defensive war machines. While his mathematical writings were not widely known in antiquity, they became influential in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. His death occurred during the Roman siege of Syracuse, where he was killed by a Roman soldier.