c. 470-c. 410 B.C.

Greek Mathematician

Designated as Hippocrates of Chios to distinguish him from the better-known physician of the same name, Hippocrates has been cited as the greatest mathematician of the fifth century B.C. He wrote the first textbook on geometry, in which he addressed problems such as squaring the circle and doubling the cube.

Hippocrates's achievements were particularly notable in light of the fact that he started his career as a mathematician late in life. Certainly he does not seem to have set out in his youth to pursue such a career; on the contrary, his involvement in mathematics was the indirect outcome of misfortunes. Apparently he had a successful business as a merchant until he was attacked near Byzantium by Athenian pirates, though another version of the story depicts his assailants as corrupt customs officials who seized his goods and...