Ancient heliocentrism
Heliocentrismo antiguo
- Date
- c. 270 BCE · confidence medium
- Place
- Samos and Alexandria, Greece and Egypt
- Credited to
- Aristarchus of Samos
- People
- 👤 Aristarco de Samos310 BCE–230 BCE
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
Aristarchus proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits the Sun, with the stars at immense distances. The idea did not take hold but would be cited by Copernicus.
Known from a mention by Archimedes in 'The Sand Reckoner'; the original work has been lost.
What it led to
- Copernican heliocentrism
- Idea of a universe far larger than the solar system