Anania Shirakatsi

                                                                                         Anania Shirakatsi

 

Anania Shirakatsi was the founder of natural sciences in Armenia. He was an astronomer, mathematician, geographer and chronologist.

He was born in the 7^th century. Some historians are of the opinion that he was born in the village of Anania in Shirak. When he was young, he wanted to get a good education and left for Byzantium. There he met a Greek mathematician who taught him arithmetic for 8 years. Then Anania Shirakatsi came back to Armenia, opened a school and began teaching arithmetic. His book of arithmetic is considered to be one of the oldest arithmetic books in the world.

Anania Shirakatsi’s interests were wide. He was interested in astronomy. He wrote that the Earth is spherical like an egg. The Armenian Apostolic Church offered Anania Shirakatsi to create an Armenian fixed calendar and he created it. Anania Shirakatsi’s most important work was The Book Of Armenian Geography “Աշխարհացույց” (Ashkharhatsuyts) .

Now Armenians remember and value what Anania Shirakatsi did as the founder of natural sciences in Armenia. There is a university and a gymnasium after Anania Shirakatsi in Yerevan.