معرفی
Alexander Jones is a Professor of the History of the Exact Sciences in Antiquity at New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW). He holds a Classics degree from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in the history of ancient mathematical sciences from Brown University. Previously, he served for sixteen years at the University of Toronto in the Classics Department and the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology.
His research focuses on the history and transmission of mathematical and astronomical knowledge across ancient cultures, with particular emphasis on Babylonian, Greek, and Roman contexts. Key areas include the Antikythera Mechanism, Ptolemaic astronomy, and the cultural exchanges between Mesopotamia and the Greco-Roman world. He has curated major exhibitions such as Before Pythagoras (2011) and Time and Cosmos in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2016-17).
- Education:
- B.A. Classics, University of British Columbia
- PhD History of Mathematical Sciences, Brown University
His publications include groundbreaking editions of ancient scientific texts, such as Pappus of Alexandria's commentary on geometrical methods and fragments from the Oxyrhynchus papyri. His current research involves reconstructing ancient Babylonian chronology through the NEH-funded Shanati project.
- Awards:
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- Francis Bacon Award in the History of Science
- Membership in the Académie Internationale d'Histoire des Sciences
As Principal Investigator of the Shanati project, he leads efforts to synchronize Babylonian calendars with the Julian calendar. His work bridges material culture and textual analysis, often involving interdisciplinary collaboration with archaeologists and historians of technology.
