Overview

Early medieval mathematics was based on only a few classical texts, since the majority of ancient mathematical knowledge had been lost after the fall of Rome. Slowly, over many centuries, these texts were reintroduced to Europe through contact with Arab mathematicians, who had preserved and extended classical learning. Social and economic changes in Europe created a demand for a newly sophisticated mathematical learning.

Background

Mathematics flourished in the Greek world from 600 B.C. to A.D. 300 in what has been called the Golden Age of Mathematics. The rise of the Roman Empire saw mathematical philosophy take a back seat to practical methods, since the Romans, in general, preferred language studies to abstract mathematics, but Greek learning was still preserved and studied.

With the fall of Rome and the collapse of the empire in the fourth century, however...