Archimedes of Syracuseis considered one of the greatest thinks of the ancient world. He established the principles of plane and solid geometry, discovered the concept of specific gravity, conducted experiments on buoyancy, demonstrated the power of mechanical advantage, and invented the Archimedes Screw, an auger-like device for raising water.

Archimedes was born in the Greek city of Syracuse, on the island of Sicily, in 287 B.C. He was the son of Phidias, the astronomer and mathematician. What we know of Archimedes' life comes from his extant writings, and from the histories authored by Plutarch, Cicero, and other historians several centuries after his death. Due to the length of time between Archimedes' death and his biographers' accounts, as well as inconsistencies among their writings, details of his life must remain subject to question.

Plutarch records that Archimedes was a relative of King Hieron, but Cicero claims he was of...