Western World:

• The Acropolis - crowned by the Parthenon.

• The recently opened (2009) Acropolis Museum

• The old Plaka neighborhood with its evident influence of Asia Minor.

 Day 5 Wednesday, July 14 Samos

We will stay 2 days in the island of Samos at Hotel Samos.

"Pythagoras the Samian", known as "the father of numbers" (570- 495 BC) was born and died in this Aegean Island. Great mathematician, philosopher, mystic and scientist. Pythagoras and his students believed that everything was related to mathematics and that numbers were the ultimate reality and, through mathematics, everything could be predicted and measured in rhythmic patterns or cycles.

During our stay in Samos we will visit the village of Pythagorio, home to the famous

Tunnel of Eupalinos and Pythagoras’s cave

A ferry ride will take us to Kusadasi (Turkey) and from there we will go to Miletus, situated at the mouth of the Meander river in the south of the province of Ionia in Western Anatolia.

The ancient city of Miletus was the oldest and the most powerful of the twelve Ionian cities in Asia Minor, its commercial activities extended as far as Egypt. One cannot talk of Miletus without mention of the great contributions to geometry and science made by Thales, (mid 620s – mid 540s BC) one of the greatest scholars produced by the city.

Thales involved himself in many activities, taking the role of an innovator. He predicted a solar eclipse and was considered one of the 7 ancient Sages, as well as the first scientist.

Again, as in old times a boat will take us from Samos to Mykonos, where we will stay 2 days at the Alkistis hotel.

Since we cannot leave Greece without solving the “Delian problem”, today we will

take a ferry to the island of Delos, visit the Oracle of Apollo at Delos and find out

how and when Menaechmus solved the problem.

Castello Eurialo - Euryalus castle in English - originally built in 402 BC and whose

walls were later defended by Archimedes and his war machines against the Romans

We will also visit the Archeological Park Neapolis with its Greek and Roman theaters.

The Roman Amphitheatre - partly carved out from the rock. In the centre of the

A full day excursion will take us to Mount Etna- the Mountain of fire- one of the most

During our stay in Rome, there will be plenty of free time, for enjoying the Eternal

City at your own.

Professor Furman will lead a very unique visit to the Park Aqueducts where the famous Via Appia starts

The great and highly advanced Roman waterway system known as the Aqueducts, are among the greatest achievements in the ancient world. The running water, indoor plumbing and sewer system carrying away disease from the population within the Empire wasn't surpassed in capability until very modern times. The Aqueducts, being the most visible and glorious piece of the ancient water system, stand as a testament to Roman engineering. Some of these ancient structures are still in use today in various capacities. 11 separate aqueducts supplied the city of Rome and were built over a span of 500 years. The first, the Aqua Appia, was built in conjunction with the great southern road the Via Appia in 312 BC.

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Mathematics in Rome

In the Pauline Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Cigoli painted a vision from the Apocalypse, Chapter 12 in the cupola: "A Woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." Defiantly, Cignoli painted a maculate moon, not the immaculate moon that was the customary accompaniment of the immaculate Virgin.

Guerraggio, Angelo, and Pietro Nastasi.  2005. 

Italian Mathematics between the Two World Wars.  Science Networks Historical Studies, volume 29.  Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag. You'll get annoyed at the lack of editing.  Not available via NYConnect.

Galileo as a Critic of the Arts, by Erwin Panofsky. Review in the Art Bulletin by Wolfgang Lotz.