The frame of the ancient Greek maps

by William Arthur Heidel

Geometry applied to the heavens.

141 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1976

About the author

William Arthur Heidel, called Arthur by his family, was born in 1868 in Warrenton, Missouri. William Arthur was born to Charles Heidel (1834-1935) a Preacher and Maria Magdalen (1846-1905) both German Immigrants. He was one of eleven children. William Arthur married Mary Mack and had one child, Warren Clark. Yet, he is best known for his works in ancient Greek Philosophy and science.

William Arthur received his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Missouri, in 1888 at the young age of 20. In 1891, he completed his Master’s program at the same time teaching Latin at Wesleyan. Four years later he received his Ph.D from the University of Chicago. After finishing his Ph.D William Arthur taught Greek at Wesleyan for thirty-five years. He became a well sought out scholar in Early Greek Philosophy and Science, publishing a vast amount of literature.

In 1928, he was appointed Research Associate of the American Council of Learned Society. He was employed for ten years by the association to travel through Europe and write a comprehensive history in his field of study. He went to Berlin, Vienna, London, Italy and France to find material sources for his study. His wife, Mary, accompanied him throughout his endeavor.

William Arthur Heidel is known for publishing works such as: The Heroic Age of Science: the conception, ideas and methods of science among the ancient Greeks, Hippocratic Medicine; its spirit and method, and Plato’s Ethyphro. This is just a minor selection of a vast bibliography.

After his trip through Europe William Arthur returned to Wesleyan College. He passed away after working there for thirty-five years in 1941, leaving behind his son Warren and his three grandchildren Penfield, Grectchen, and William Arthur Jr.