No, They Didn’t Believe the Earth Was Flat in the Middle Ages

medieval-flat-earth-myth One of the most persistent historical myths is the idea that people in the Middle Ages believed the Earth was flat. From textbooks to pop culture, this misconception has been repeated countless times, painting the medieval world as a period of ignorance and superstition. However, the truth is far more nuanced: educated people in the Middle Ages were well aware that the Earth is a sphere.Debunk the myth that people in the Middle Ages believed the Earth was flat, uncovering the real history of medieval knowledge and astronomy.

In this blog, we’ll explore the origins of the flat Earth myth, what medieval scholars really believed, and how this false narrative became so widespread.

Ancient Knowledge of a Spherical Earth

The idea of a spherical Earth predates the Middle Ages by centuries:

1. Ancient Greece
   • As early as the 6th century BCE, Greek philosophers like Pythagoras suggested that the Earth was round. By the 4th century BCE, Aristotle provided evidence for a spherical Earth, including observations of the Earth’s shadow on the moon during lunar eclipses.
   • Eratosthenes, a Greek mathematician in the 3rd century BCE, famously calculated the Earth’s circumference with remarkable accuracy using the angles of the sun’s rays.
2. Roman and Early Christian Scholars
   • Roman thinkers like Pliny the Elder also acknowledged the Earth’s roundness. Early Christian scholars, including St. Augustine and Boethius, accepted the Earth’s spherical shape, incorporating this understanding into their theological writings.

Medieval Beliefs About the Earth

Contrary to the myth, most educated people in the Middle Ages knew the Earth was round:

1. Medieval Scholarship
   • The works of ancient Greek and Roman scholars were preserved and studied in medieval Europe, often through translations by Islamic scholars. Texts by Ptolemy, Aristotle, and others formed the basis of medieval education.
   • Influential medieval thinkers like Thomas Aquinas and Roger Bacon accepted the Earth’s sphericity, integrating this knowledge into their writings.
2. Practical Evidence
   • Sailors and navigators in the Middle Ages were aware of the Earth’s curvature. For example, they observed that ships disappeared hull-first over the horizon, a clear indication of a spherical Earth.
   • Maps from the medieval period, such as those based on Ptolemaic geography, depicted the Earth as a sphere.
3. The Church’s Position
   • The medieval Church did not promote the idea of a flat Earth. In fact, the sphericity of the Earth was generally accepted among clergy and scholars, who relied on ancient texts and observations.

The Origins of the Flat Earth Myth

If medieval people didn’t believe in a flat Earth, how did this myth arise? The answer lies in later historical narratives:

1. The Renaissance and Enlightenment
   • During the Renaissance and Enlightenment, scholars sought to distance themselves from what they perceived as the “ignorance” of the medieval period. Writers like Voltaire and later historians exaggerated the supposed backwardness of the Middle Ages to highlight their own intellectual progress.
2. Washington Irving’s Influence
   • In the 19th century, Washington Irving’s book A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus popularized the idea that Columbus faced opposition from flat Earth believers. This fictionalized account cemented the myth in popular imagination.
3. Modern Misconceptions
   • Textbooks and media in the 19th and 20th centuries perpetuated the flat Earth myth, often as a way to emphasize the “darkness” of the Middle Ages compared to the “enlightenment” of modernity.

Why the Myth Matters

Understanding the falsehood of the flat Earth myth is important for several reasons:

1. Reevaluating the Middle Ages
   • The myth reinforces the stereotype of the Middle Ages as a period of ignorance and stagnation. Recognizing the intellectual achievements of medieval scholars gives us a more accurate and balanced view of history.
2. The Role of Science in History
   • The flat Earth myth oversimplifies the history of science, ignoring the continuity of knowledge from the ancient world to the modern era.
3. Critical Thinking
   • The persistence of the flat Earth myth highlights the importance of questioning widely held beliefs and examining evidence critically.

Conclusion

The idea that people in the Middle Ages believed the Earth was flat is a modern misconception, not a historical fact. Educated individuals of the time were well aware of the Earth’s sphericity, building on knowledge passed down from ancient civilizations.

By debunking this myth, we can better appreciate the intellectual legacy of the Middle Ages and the enduring pursuit of knowledge throughout history. The next time someone mentions the flat Earth belief of medieval times, you can confidently set the record straight.