Expert: Irulan Serena - 7/10/2004

Question
Irulan,
Thank you so much for the answer you provided for my query. However, I already know about Archimedes and his role in the history of mathematics (Eureka), but was he at any point of his life unjustly imprisoned? I have seen a movie recently (the rock, starring Sean Konery & Nicolas Cadge), where Konery who was unjustly imprisoned for over 30 years, resembles himself with Alkemides (that's how I heard it)& Riley,(Thomas, Walter,...I don't really remember)who were unjustly imprisoned. That's the whole story behind my quest of the info.
Thank you for your time and cooperation, and please excuse any spelling mistake due typing or English being my second language (specially name mistakes)!
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Followup To
Question -
is there a historic personality called Thomas Riley (I'm not sure whether it is Thomas or Walter, or may be even another totally different first name!) that was unjustly imprisoned? another historic figure that I can't seem to get info about can be spelled as alkamides (the spelling might be wrong as well)?
Answer -
Mahr,

The persons you mention, Thomas Riley or Walter, I could not find,

Archimedes of Syracuse  is considered one of the three greatest mathematicians of all time along with Newton and Gauss. In his own time, he was known as "the wise one," "the master" and "the great geometer" and his works and inventions brought him fame that lasts to this very day. He was one of the last great Greek mathematicians.

Born: 287 BC in Syracuse, Sicily
Died: 212 BC in Syracuse, Sicily

You can find many biographies about him on the web.....such as the following which will give you a complete biography along with works, etc.

http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Archimedes.html

http://www.mcs.drexel.edu/~crorres/Archimedes/contents.html

http://www.math.utah.edu/~alfeld/Archimedes/Archimedes.html

Sorry I could not find the other person; you did not provide enough information to work with.


Cordially,

Irulan

Answer
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....was he at any point of his life unjustly imprisoned...

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Plutarch wrote his  biography, nothing was said about Archimedes being unjustly imprisioned, however, he was  a friend with King Hieron II who kept him creating machines of war which kept Archimides from his favored activity, dealing with Algebraic topics.... this could be considerd a type of imprisionment in a way since he was not free to do as he wished.

As to the other person, still cannot find a reference to him with either of the first names.

Irulan