The problem of Apollonius in the Urbino School

Abstract

During the Renaissance, several scholars worked to revive the contents and methods developed by the ancient Greek mathematicians. They began their research by studying the Latin editions of the Greek classics. The problem of Apollonius is a significant case study that sheds light on the recovery and re-appropriation of the solution methods employed by Greek mathematics. In this article, I will explore both the manuscript sources and the printed editions used by the Urbino School (Federico Commandino and Guidobaldo del Monte) to solve the problem of Apollonius.