Ancient Greeks and Other Civilizations

Leucippus and __________ proposed the idea that all things are made up of much smaller things that cannot be divided or changed.

He proposed that there was an infinite number of elementary natural substances that is infinitesimally small.

He argued that everything is made up of four eternal and unchanging kinds of matter.

He proposed that the four kinds of matter are comprised of geometrical solids which can be further divisible into triangles.

He believed that the four elements could be balanced in substances in an infinite number of ways, and that when combined gave proportions of “essential qualities”, hot, dry, cold and wet.

They had techniques to utilize metals like gold and copper.

They also made use of other materials such as dyes, glass, paints, and perfumes.

They adapted techniques from the Mesopotamians and perfected the use of bronze, dye and glass that the Greeks later copied.

They had their own processes for metalwork and ceramic materials.

They especially focused on finding minerals, plants and substances that could prolong life.

They also perfected the use of iron and steel and were well-known manufacturers of dyes, glass, cement, solutions for textiles, and soap.

They came up with the preparation of acids such as nitric, hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, as well as aqua regia (nitro-hydrochloric acid).

• Arabs and Muslims

• Indians

• Egyptians

• Mesopotamians