Chapter 3, Alexandria! Summary and Analysis

When he finished school, Archimedes sailed for Alexandria in Egypt, which was then the greatest city in antiquity. The city was created by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. His general Ptolemy ruled Egypt after his death and turned Alexandria into the most important Greek center for learning and art, constructing the greatest library in the world at that time, where Greeks learned for a millennium. Scientific research began here and all academics came to Alexandria.

Archimedes had trouble initially finding someone to take him to Alexandra; sailing in those days had great risks, as they had no compasses, charts or sea-faring clocks. Greek ships were primitive. But the Greek Empire was spread across the Mediterranean Sea and ships were the only connections between many areas. Archimedes probably set sail between age sixteen or seventeen.

When he would have...