Flat Earth?

[Ironduke]

I was recently reading an article about Saladin on Wikipedia, and found a picture of him holding the globus, albeit without the cross, traditionally a medieval European and Byzantine symbol of authority of Christ's dominion over the world through the rule of a king, emperor, etc.

I knew the ancient Greeks believed that the world was round, and almost accurately calculated the circumference of the Earth. So if medieval Europeans believed the world was flat, why the globus used to illustrate the world?

Turns out they believed the world was round through medieval times, and that the only mistaken belief was that the other side of the world was either entirely dominated by the ocean, or if there was land there, there were no men in that land because they wouldn't have been descended from Adam. Those who asserted there were were often charged with blasphemy.

Photos: Saladin, Justinian, Frederick Barbarossa, and the 12th century Imperial Orb of the Holy Roman Empire:

[ArmchairGeneral]

It's a common misconception. The reason nobody wanted to fund Columbus' voyage was that he had underestimated the distance to the East Indies by half, not that they thought the Earth was flat.

[zraver]

anyone who has ever seen the ocean from a height knows the world was round, you watch ships rise over the horizon.

[Ironduke]

It's a common misconception. The reason nobody wanted to fund Columbus' voyage was that he had underestimated the distance to the East Indies by half, not that they thought the Earth was flat.

Those who believed Columbus underestimated the distance by half turned out to be right. Perhaps Columbus asserting it was Asia was a means of not running afoul of the commonly accepted belief of no men at the antipodes:

But as to the fable that there are Antipodes, that is to say, men on the opposite side of the earth, where the sun rises when it sets to us, men who walk with their feet opposite ours, that is on no ground credible. And, indeed, it is not affirmed that this has been learned by historical knowledge, but by scientific conjecture, on the ground that the earth is suspended within the concavity of the sky, and that it has as much room on the one side of it as on the other: hence they say that the part which is beneath must also be inhabited. But they do not remark that, although it be supposed or scientifically demonstrated that the world is of a round and spherical form, yet it does not follow that the other side of the earth is bare of water; nor even, though it be bare, does it immediately follow that it is peopled.

It is too absurd to say, that some men might have taken ship and traversed the whole wide ocean, and crossed from this side of the world to the other, and that thus even the inhabitants of that distant region are descended from that one first man.

-St. Augustine

[TopHatter]

It's a common misconception. The reason nobody wanted to fund Columbus' voyage was that he had underestimated the distance to the East Indies by half, not that they thought the Earth was flat.

Agreed. As far back as the Bible, the Earth has been described as a circle or sphere.

Amazing how enduring that Columbus myth has been.

[RustyBattleship]

Agreed. As far back as the Bible, the Earth has been described as a circle or sphere.

Amazing how enduring that Columbus myth has been.

I'm sure Alpinists from the BC years (Maybe even mountain tribes of Neanderhals) already knew the Earth was round. After you climb up the side of a mountain just a few thousand feet, the curvature of the Earth is very evident.

[Tarek Morgen]

The Flat Earth Society

have yet to figure out if they are joking or really believing it...

[Ironduke]

I'm sure Alpinists from the BC years (Maybe even mountain tribes of Neanderhals) already knew the Earth was round. After you climb up the side of a mountain just a few thousand feet, the curvature of the Earth is very evident.

They may have been able to figure out that there was rounding and curvature, but I doubt either people from those times or prehistoric peoples had the intellectual capability to deduce the world they lived in was a sphere.

[sappersgt]

I'm sure Alpinists from the BC years (Maybe even mountain tribes of Neanderhals) already knew the Earth was round. After you climb up the side of a mountain just a few thousand feet, the curvature of the Earth is very evident.

I thought knew the earth was round before. Then I had a freefall jump at 15800 and I really knew the earth was round, you can see it!

[tankie]

Agreed. As far back as the Bible, the Earth has been described as a circle or sphere.

Amazing how enduring that Columbus myth has been.

Yup T,H, and was it not Pope Leo the X who was attributed to saying , this Myth of Christ has served us well ,,

[glyn]

I thought knew the earth was round before. Then I had a freefall jump at 15800 and I really knew the earth was round, you can see it!

Only another 40 feet and you would have been 3 miles up!

[Bigfella]

The Flat Earth Society

have yet to figure out if they are joking or really believing it...

In an era when literally millions claim that creationism is 'science' I think its best to assume that the crazies genuinely believe.

[Tarek Morgen]

In an era when literally millions claim that creationism is 'science' I think its best to assume that the crazies genuinely believe.

oh god...don't get me started about "creation science", ID & co...

[Exarecr]

Creationism.Sounds a lot like Poofinism. Poof,and then we were,therefore we are. Just lift up the edge of the flat earth a little and watch em both prove they are going where we know gravity will take them.....down.

[ShawnG]

The Flat Earth Society

have yet to figure out if they are joking or really believing it...

LOL, I just spent the last half hour reading their FAQs and a couple threads.

absolutely hilarious.

Earth is flat and gravity is not gravity. It's simply the illusion of gravity as earth accellerates at a constant rate upwards, holding us down on Earth's Surface.... I never knew that :P