This paper is a study of the visual characteristics of the medieval manuscript diagrams found in Theodosios’ Spherics. It provides a new taxonomy of eight types of diagrams found in the manuscript sources, and examines the way in which geometric information is encoded in the manuscript diagrams using a number of visual encodings. It then argues that these diagrams can be used to address ongoing research debates about whether the striking visual characteristics of medieval diagrams in mathematical texts are the result of deliberate choices by the premodern authors, the result of accidents of transmission, or both. Along the way, the paper identifies a further type of transmission error that is prevalent in the medieval transmission of mathematical diagrams.

Nathan Sidoli

Journal for the History of Astronomy

Science History Publications Ltd is an academic publishing company established in 1971 and based in Cambridge, England. We specialize in journals in history of science and in particular history of astronomy.

The Journal for the History of Astronomy is an academic journal published by Science History Publications Ltd. Established in 1971 and based in Cambridge, England, the company specializes in the history of science, with a particular focus on the history of astronomy.

《Journal for the History of Astronomy》是由Science History Publications Ltd出版的一本学术期刊。该公司成立于1971年，总部位于英国剑桥，专注于科学史，尤其是天文学史的研究。

Category	Quartile
哲学	3
哲学, 科学史与科学哲学	3

The manuscript diagrams of Theodosios’ Spherics

ivySCI AI Smartly Parses PDF, Answers Researchers' Questions, and Helps You Understand Papers in Seconds

Journal Info

Category	Quartile
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE	3