Abdaraxus
Encyclopedia
Abdaraxus was an ancient engineer mentioned in Vitruvius
' De Architectura
as the one "who built the machines in Alexandria
". This is the only known mention of his name in surviving literature, but to include him in his list of twelve luminaries, alongside Archimedes
and Philo
, and to consider the machines famous enough to not need elaboration it can be inferred that Abdaraxus must have been an outstanding engineer of his time.
Vitruvius
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
' De Architectura
De architectura
' is a treatise on architecture written by the Roman architect Vitruvius and dedicated to his patron, the emperor Caesar Augustus, as a guide for building projects...
as the one "who built the machines in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
". This is the only known mention of his name in surviving literature, but to include him in his list of twelve luminaries, alongside Archimedes
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an...
and Philo
Philo
Philo , known also as Philo of Alexandria , Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, Yedidia, "Philon", and Philo the Jew, was a Hellenistic Jewish Biblical philosopher born in Alexandria....
, and to consider the machines famous enough to not need elaboration it can be inferred that Abdaraxus must have been an outstanding engineer of his time.