Liba Taub
Biographic Data
| ID | 976014 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Liba Taub |
| GIVEN NAMES | Liba |
| FAMILY NAME | Taub |
| SIGNATURE | TAUB L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Cambridge |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 38 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 23 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 35 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 3 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1991 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
James (Jim) Arthur Bennett (1947-2023)
Comets
Comets were often regarded as portents in antiquity. Certain ancient philosophers, including Aristotle, explained them as occurring naturally, and in some cases as predictive of particular weather events. The appearance of the sidus iulium (the Julian star, presumably a comet) at the games organized by Octavian in 44 bce was interpreted by some – including Augustus, according to Pliny the Elder – as a sign confirming Julius Caesar's divinity and …
Reflection I: The World Soul and Harmony
The Greek word harmonia refers to “joining,” “fastening,” “attunement,” and “agreement.” While various authors used the term, Pythagoreans are credited with giving it special meaning, in the context of mathematics and music. Pythagoras (born mid-sixth century BCE) and his followers were known for their view that numbers underlie the composition and structure of the entire world....
The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Science
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the key themes in Greek and Roman science, medicine, mathematics and technology. A distinguished team of specialists engage with topics including the role of observation and experiment, Presocratic natural philosophy, ancient creationism, and the special style of ancient Greek mathematical texts, while several chapters confront key questions in the philosophy of science such as the relationship betwe…
Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Science
The Whipple Museum of the History of Science: Objects and Investigations, to Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of R. S. Whipple's Gift to the University of Cambridge
In this book the diverse objects of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science's internationally renowned collection are brought into sharp relief by a number of highly regarded historians of science in fourteen essays. Each chapter focuses on a specific instrument or group of objects, ranging from an English medieval astrolabe to a modern agricultural 'seed source indicator' to a curious collection of plaster chicken heads. The contributors em…
Meteorology
For ancient Greeks and Romans, meteorology – the study of meteora (“things high up”) – treated phenomena including wind, rain, thunder, and lightning (classified today as atmospheric), as well as comets and earthquakes (now regarded as astronomical or seismological). The focus on phenomena as observed events is a hallmark of Greco‐Roman meteorology, which aimed to explain meteorological phenomena as occurring naturally, rather than due to extra‐ …
What is a scientific instrument, now
In 1990, Deborah Jean Warner, a curator at the Smithsonian Institution, published her now-classic article ‘What is a scientific instrument, when did it become one, and why?’. These questions were prompted by practical curatorial considerations: what was she supposed to collect for her museum? Today, we are still considering questions of what we collect for the future, why, and how. These questions have elicited some new and perhaps surprising ans…
The Cambridge History of Science
This volume in the highly respected Cambridge History of Science series is devoted to the history of science, medicine and mathematics of the Old World in antiquity. Organized by topic and culture, its essays by distinguished scholars offer the most comprehensive and up-to-date history of ancient science currently available. Together, they reveal the diversity of goals, contexts, and accomplishments in the study of nature in Mesopotamia, Egypt, G…
Cambridge History of Science: Volume 1, Ancient Science
Science Writing in Greco-Roman Antiquity
We access Greek and Roman scientific ideas mainly through those texts which happen to survive. By concentrating only on the ideas conveyed, we may limit our understanding of the meaning of those ideas in their historical context. Through considering the diverse ways in which scientific ideas were communicated, in different types of texts, we can uncover otherwise hidden meanings and more fully comprehend the historical contexts in which those ide…
Astrometeorology
Astrometeorology correlates the motions of astronomical bodies (in antiquity usually fixed stars) in order to track the annual seasons and predict weather.
Seismology
The modern term “seismology” is based on the Greek seismos , meaning “earthquake,” and logos , meaning “discourse;” however, there was no distinct field of inquiry in antiquity devoted to the study of earthquakes.
Weather prediction
The potential impact of weather on crucial economic activities (including agriculture, navigation, and various businesses) motivated Greek and Roman efforts to predict weather.
Aristotle, Meteorology
Aristotle's Meteorology is the earliest extant Greek work on the subject, and is part of a larger project, following on from his studies of natural motion in the Physics , astronomy in On the Heavens , and the four elements in Generation and Corruption .
Aetna,poem
The identity of the author of the Latin poem known as Aetna is unknown. In the earliest manuscripts, it is ascribed to Vergil but this is not now accepted.
Meteorology
For ancient Greeks and Romans, meteorology – the study of meteora (“things high up”) – treated phenomena including wind, rain, thunder, and lightning (classified today as atmospheric), as well as and (now regarded as astronomical or seismological).
Comets
When Octavian arrived in Rome in May 44 BCE , to accept Julius Caesar's inheritance and name, some were initially dismissive. The appearance of a comet in July at the games he sponsored in Caesar's honor was interpreted as a sign confirming Caesar's divinity (even his apotheosis as a star) and Octavian's right to succeed his adopted father as emperor. Cicero, our only extant contemporary source, does not mention Octavian's games or the comet, but…
Volcanoes
The modern word “volcano” is derived from the Italian meaning “burning mountain.” There was no corresponding term in ancient Latin or Greek. However, Volcanus (also known as Vulcanus or Vulcan) was the name of an ancient god associated with fire, worshipped at Rome from earliest times; the name has resonances with the modern word.
Physiological Analogies and Metaphors In Explanations of the Earth and the Cosmos
The chapter examines the use of analogies drawn to physiological processes to explain meteorological phenomena and to expound cosmological ideas, primarily in the Greco-Roman world. It also refers briefly to the use of similar analogies in the Early Modern period. The chapter focuses on explanation-building, and the relationship of analogies to observations, particularly in Aristotle, Epicurus and Lucretius, not least because these authors were i…
Structures and strategies in ancient Greek and Roman technical writing: An Introduction
Introduction: Reengaging with Instruments
Over the past twenty years or so, historians of science have become increasingly sensitized to issues involved in studying and interpreting scientific and medical instruments. The contributors to this Focus section are historians of science who have worked closely with museum objects and collections, specifically instruments used in scientific and medical contexts. Such close engagement by historians of science is somewhat rare, provoking distinc…
Cosmology and meteorology
A goal of Epicurean philosophy was the achievement of calm and freedom from anxiety. Epicurus believed that if people can be freed from fear - including fears relating to the actions of gods - they can then achieve ataraxia ('being undisturbed'). Epicurean cosmology and meteorology were motivated by the desire to alleviate fear of gods. While Epicurus recognized the existence of gods, he denied the possibility that they have any cosmic influence.…
On scientific instruments
Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy (review)
Reviewed by: Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy Liba Taub James Evans and J. Lennart Berggren. Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. Pp. xviii, 325. $49.50. ISBN 0-691-12339-X. James Evans and J. Lennart Berggren have produced a very welcome volume on Geminos’ Introducti…
Introduction: Reengaging with Instruments
Over the past twenty years or so, historians of science have become increasingly sensitized to issues involved in studying and interpreting scientific and medical instruments. The contributors to this Focus section are historians of science who have worked closely with museum objects and collections, specifically instruments used in scientific and medical contexts. Such close engagement by historians of science is somewhat rare, provoking distinc…
On scientific instruments
Evolutionary ideas and ‘empirical’ methods: The analogy between language and species in works by Lyell and Schleicher
In the Origin of Species , Charles Darwin (1809–82) briefly drew an analogy between languages and species, suggesting that the genealogical relationships between languages provide a model for discussing the descent and modification of species. Further, he suggested that just as languages often contain some vestige of earlier speech, for example silent, unpronounced letters, so the rudimentary organs of animals can provide clues about genealogy an…
The Rehabilitation of Wretched Subjects
In 1951, Otto Neugebauer published a short essay entitled The Study of Wretched Subjects, spurred by publication of a book review by George Sarton in Isis. Neugebauer was moved to explain why a serious scholar might spend years on study of wretched subjects like ancient istrology, to rebut Sarton's description of astrology as the superstitious flotsam of Near East.' Since then, there has been a good deal of important work done on wretched subject…
The historical function of the forma Urbis Romae1
The Criterion of Truth: Essays Written in Honor of George Kerferd, together with a Text and Translation (With Annotations) of Ptolemy's "On the Kriterion and Hegemonikon". Pamela Huby , Gordon Neal
"Before "Eureka: The Presocratics and Their Science. Robin Waterfield
Origen and the Life of the Stars: A History of an Idea . Alan Scott
The historical function of the forma Urbis Romae1
Evolutionary ideas and ‘empirical’ methods: The analogy between language and species in works by Lyell and Schleicher
In the Origin of Species , Charles Darwin (1809–82) briefly drew an analogy between languages and species, suggesting that the genealogical relationships between languages provide a model for discussing the descent and modification of species. Further, he suggested that just as languages often contain some vestige of earlier speech, for example silent, unpronounced letters, so the rudimentary organs of animals can provide clues about genealogy an…
Roman Nature: The Thought of Pliny the Elder . Mary Beagon
Euclid's Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Treatise in Spherical Astronomy . Euclid, J. L. Berggren, R. S. D. Thomas
The Rehabilitation of Wretched Subjects
In 1951, Otto Neugebauer published a short essay entitled The Study of Wretched Subjects, spurred by publication of a book review by George Sarton in Isis. Neugebauer was moved to explain why a serious scholar might spend years on study of wretched subjects like ancient istrology, to rebut Sarton's description of astrology as the superstitious flotsam of Near East.' Since then, there has been a good deal of important work done on wretched subject…
British Society for the History of Science Report of Council for the year 1998
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Greek Science of the Hellenistic Era: A Sourcebook
Preserving nature? Ecology, tourism and other themes in the national parks
"Ancient Meteorology. "Sciences in Antiquity
The Whipple Museum of the History of Science: Instruments and Interpretations, to Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of R. S. Whipple's Gift to the University of Cambridge
In this book the diverse objects of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science's internationally renowned collection are brought into sharp relief by a number of highly regarded historians of science in fourteen essays. Each chapter focuses on a specific instrument or group of objects, ranging from an English medieval astrolabe to a modern agricultural 'seed source indicator' to a curious collection of plaster chicken heads. The contributors em…
Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy (review)
Reviewed by: Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy Liba Taub James Evans and J. Lennart Berggren. Geminos’s Introduction to the Phaenomena: A Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. Pp. xviii, 325. $49.50. ISBN 0-691-12339-X. James Evans and J. Lennart Berggren have produced a very welcome volume on Geminos’ Introducti…
Cosmology and meteorology
A goal of Epicurean philosophy was the achievement of calm and freedom from anxiety. Epicurus believed that if people can be freed from fear - including fears relating to the actions of gods - they can then achieve ataraxia ('being undisturbed'). Epicurean cosmology and meteorology were motivated by the desire to alleviate fear of gods. While Epicurus recognized the existence of gods, he denied the possibility that they have any cosmic influence.…
On scientific instruments
Introduction: Reengaging with Instruments
Over the past twenty years or so, historians of science have become increasingly sensitized to issues involved in studying and interpreting scientific and medical instruments. The contributors to this Focus section are historians of science who have worked closely with museum objects and collections, specifically instruments used in scientific and medical contexts. Such close engagement by historians of science is somewhat rare, provoking distinc…
Astrometeorology
Astrometeorology correlates the motions of astronomical bodies (in antiquity usually fixed stars) in order to track the annual seasons and predict weather.
Seismology
The modern term “seismology” is based on the Greek seismos , meaning “earthquake,” and logos , meaning “discourse;” however, there was no distinct field of inquiry in antiquity devoted to the study of earthquakes.
Weather prediction
The potential impact of weather on crucial economic activities (including agriculture, navigation, and various businesses) motivated Greek and Roman efforts to predict weather.
Aristotle, Meteorology
Aristotle's Meteorology is the earliest extant Greek work on the subject, and is part of a larger project, following on from his studies of natural motion in the Physics , astronomy in On the Heavens , and the four elements in Generation and Corruption .
Aetna,poem
The identity of the author of the Latin poem known as Aetna is unknown. In the earliest manuscripts, it is ascribed to Vergil but this is not now accepted.
Meteorology
For ancient Greeks and Romans, meteorology – the study of meteora (“things high up”) – treated phenomena including wind, rain, thunder, and lightning (classified today as atmospheric), as well as and (now regarded as astronomical or seismological).
Comets
When Octavian arrived in Rome in May 44 BCE , to accept Julius Caesar's inheritance and name, some were initially dismissive. The appearance of a comet in July at the games he sponsored in Caesar's honor was interpreted as a sign confirming Caesar's divinity (even his apotheosis as a star) and Octavian's right to succeed his adopted father as emperor. Cicero, our only extant contemporary source, does not mention Octavian's games or the comet, but…
Volcanoes
The modern word “volcano” is derived from the Italian meaning “burning mountain.” There was no corresponding term in ancient Latin or Greek. However, Volcanus (also known as Vulcanus or Vulcan) was the name of an ancient god associated with fire, worshipped at Rome from earliest times; the name has resonances with the modern word.
History (27 works) · Philosophy (22 works) · Epistemology (15 works) · Classics (13 works) · Computer Science (13 works) · Art (12 works) · Physics (12 works) · Historical Astronomy and Related Studies (11 works) · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies (10 works) · Geography (9 works)