whatilearned
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid%27s_Elements
TIL that Euclid’s “Elements” is considered as the most influential textbook ever written. From its publication until the 20th century, virtually all educated people read it. The only things we know about its author are the city (Alexandria, Egypt) and the times (c. 300 BCE) in which Euclid lived.
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I somewhat doubt this claim that “virtually all educated people read it”, although I’m sure it was read by most in Europe, the Near East, and North Africa
It’s available on Amazon, no need to visit the library.
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It’s haunting to imagine how much knowledge was lost when *one* geometry textbook was such a tomb of advanced wisdom. Or a [geography textbook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_(Ptolemy)) with a better map of the world than anyone was even capable of charting a thousand years later.
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