Carpus of Antioch was an ancient Greek
mathematician. It is not certain when he lived; he may have lived any time between the
2nd century BC and the
2nd century AD. He wrote on
mechanics,
astronomy, and
geometry.
Proclus quotes from an
Astronomical Treatise by Carpus concerning whether problems should come before theorems, in which Carpus may (or may not) have been criticising
Geminus. Proclus also quotes the view of Carpus that "an
angle is a quantity, namely a distance between the lines of surfaces containing it. According to
Pappus, Carpus made use of mathematics for practical applications. According to
Iamblichus, Carpus also constructed a curve for the purpose of
squaring the circle, which he calls a curve generated by a double motion.
Notes
References
- Thomas Little Heath, A History of Greek Mathematics, page 428. Courier Dover Publications.
- Michael Taunton, (2001), Surveying Instruments of Greece and Rome, pages 33-34. Cambridge University Press.