Ancient (BCE-40 CE)

After my first degree (which was in physics) I studied the history and philosophy of science at M Phil level, in 1990-91 at Clare College Cambridge, and at Ph D level, from 1992 to 1997 at the Queen's University of Belfast. Here is some of the work that I did, and some of my subsequent thoughts. I don't think it's likely that I shall work in the field of history of science again, but at least having these essays on-line makes me feel that the effort was not completely in vain. If any of these is of use to you, please let me know by email or with this form.

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was born in or near Rome around the year 480 A.D. Orphaned young, he was brought up in the household of one of the richest and most venerable aristocrats of the time, Symmachus. He married Symmachus's daughter and pursued a typical career for a senatorial scion of the time, alternating between ceremonial public office and private leisure.

The story of one of the world's oldest and most historically important trade routes and its influences on the culture of China, Central Asia and the West

Long before condoms came in rainbow colors and exotic skins, legendary lover Casanova was sewing together strips of fine linen. Centuries before nonoxynol 9, young women in Constantinople shook the gritty sand from sea sponges and dipped them in lemon juice before insertion. Contraception has a long and inventive history. Now there is a museum dedicated to one of humankind's most persistent quests

Select from a list of 441 works of classical literature by 59 different authors, including user-driven commentary and "reader's choice" Web sites. Mainly Greco-Roman works (some Chinese and Persian), all in English translation

The Clendening History of Medicine Library and Museum is the rare books and manuscripts library of the University of Kansas Medical Center. We actively collect rare books as well as current works in the history of medicine, nursing, and the allied professions. The Library also supports the biomedical ethics and medical humanities curriculum by collecting contemporary secondary works in these areas. Under the auspices of its Museum, the Library also owns hundreds of medical artifacts

An Index to Online Great Books in English Translation

Cosmas, a sixth century native of Alexandria, spent the earlier years of his life as a seafaring merchant. He traveled extensively during this time, and his surname would suggest that his travels extended as far as India. He eventually retired from commercial enterprises and gave himself over to the monastic life, probably among the Nestorians. During this phase of his life he composed treatises on geography, cosmography, and scriptural exegesis. The Christian Topography is the only one of his works to have survived, and contains treatments of all of these topics.

David S. P. Dearborn is an astrophysicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and co-editor of Archaeoastronomy: A Journal for Astronomy in Culture as well as Archaeoastronomy & Ethnoastronomy News. In addition, he is a founding member of ISAAC (the International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture), an organization promoting a professional standard in this interdisciplinary study that all too often suffers from spectacular claims involving more enthusiasm than evidence.

Resources on the history of science are growing, but few focus specifically on the eighteenth century. Most of the sources below are well organized, though, and will lead you to relevant material quickly