Dicaearchus

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Dicaearchus (also Dicearchos, Dicearchus or Dikæarchus, Greek Δικαιαρχος; circa 350 BC – circa 285 BC) was a Greek philosopher, cartographer, geographer, mathematician and author. He was born in Messine (also Messana, Messene; present-day Messina). Dicaearchus was Aristotle's student in Lyceum. Very little of his work remains extant. He made geometric constructions of a hyperbola and a parabola and worked mainly in the field of cartography, where he was among the first to use geographical coordinates.

Dicaearchus is best known for his treatises on comparative government and the condition of the people of Athens.

[edit] Political Works

Life in Greece, a study of the "moral, political, and social conditions" (Britannnica 1911) of the people.

Tripoliticos, a study of comparative government. Following Aristotle, Dicaearchus breaks all governments into three categories: the one, the few, and the many. Unlike his teacher, however, he advocates a "mixed" government, echoing the Spartan system, in which elements of all three categories play a part. This may have been an inspiration for Cicero's De Republica.

[edit] Philosophical Works

Lesbiaci, a dialogue in three books. An argument for the mortality of the soul.

[edit] Other

Dicaearchus was once credited with a description of Greece now credited to Dionsysus, son of Calliphon.