Archimedes

Archimedes of Syracuse was the greatest mathematician and engineer of antiquity, applying rigorous mathematical principles to physical phenomena. He founded hydrostatics and statics, discovering the principle of buoyancy (Archimedes' principle) and the law of the lever, famously stating, 'Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth.' His mathematical genius was profound; he calculated a remarkably accurate value for pi, developed a system for expressing very large numbers, and used a method of exhaustion to find areas and volumes, anticipating integral calculus. His ingenious war machines used against the Roman siege of Syracuse became legendary. He epitomized the application of theoretical mathematics to practical engineering and physical science.