Ancient Science

Buy the Scientist in the Early Roman Empire!

Ancient Science

Dr. Carrier is currently expanding his dissertation into the books The Scientist in the Early Roman Empire and Science Education in the Early Roman Empire, which survey the social role of Roman scientists, what they did, and how they were perceived. He also has a critically acclaimed chapter in The Christian Delusion on why "Christianity Was Not Responsible for Modern Science."

Books on Ancient Science (2007)
One of the more useful entries on my blog, this is a brief but informed survey of the best books to read for beginners in the history of Greco-Roman science.

The Origins of Greek Philosophy (2000)
First chapter of an abbreviated history of the rise of scientific epistemology. Future chapters planned.

Cultural History of the Lunar and Solar
Eclipse in the Early Roman Empire (1998)
Surveys various ancient beliefs regarding eclipse phenomena (both scientific and superstitious). I'm planning a future revision (this was originally my Columbia master's thesis), but in the meantime it's still a useful reference.

With a Ph.D. in ancient history from Columbia University, Dr. Carrier specializes in the intellectual history of Greece and Rome, particularly the history of science and the origins of Christianity. This page is dedicated to the former. He also discusses this subject on his blog (see entries indexed under history of science and ancient technology, as well as on historical method). For his recommended readings on this subject, see Richard Carrier Recommends.

Ancient Roman Tax Receipt (1999)
My work on P.Col. 408 indirectly relates to technology (e.g. economics, agriculture, scribal and administrative practice).

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