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3 Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading for ancient history
This is the most authoritative and significant single volume available dealing with ancient Near Eastern mathematical astronomy. The mathematics may be difficult in places for non-specialists, but that fact alone confirms Swerdlow's argument that the accomplishments of the ancient scribes were impressive and sophisticated. Technical aspects are explained as clearly as...
Published on January 8, 2004 by Kerry V. Magruder
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6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
a difficult read
Even with a B.S. degree in physics, I had a hard time keeping up with the mathematical and scientific details in this book. It is very hard reading.
Published on January 5, 2000 by Michael G McGauley
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading for ancient history,
By Kerry V. Magruder (Norman, OK United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Babylonian Theory of the Planets (Hardcover)
This is the most authoritative and significant single volume available dealing with ancient Near Eastern mathematical astronomy. The mathematics may be difficult in places for non-specialists, but that fact alone confirms Swerdlow's argument that the accomplishments of the ancient scribes were impressive and sophisticated. Technical aspects are explained as clearly as possible, yet Swerdlow does not duck larger issues, such as the significance of Near Eastern astronomy for the rise of ancient science. No longer will historians wish to credit the first origin of science to the (non-mathematical) pre-Socratic philosophers of ancient Greece. Everyone interested in ancient science will need to take account of Swerdlow's arguments in this book. It will be a classic, and should come out in a less expensive paperback edition!
6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
a difficult read,
This review is from: The Babylonian Theory of the Planets (Hardcover)
Even with a B.S. degree in physics, I had a hard time keeping up with the mathematical and scientific details in this book. It is very hard reading.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The best treatment.,
By
This review is from: The Babylonian Theory of the Planets (Hardcover)
This is the authoritative account. It could be more pellucidly presented, but I'd have supposed that any high school junior who has studied his arithmetic, basic algebra, and plane geometry decently well would have no problems working through the mathematics.
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The Babylonian Theory of the Planets by N. M. Swerdlow (Hardcover - February 9, 1998)
Used & New from: $17.98
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