Theoremata circa centrum gravitatis solidorum

What it is

This is a Latin mathematical treatise by Galileo Galilei, written in 1585, setting out theorems about the centre of gravity of solid shapes. According to a note included with the text, Galileo worked on this topic believing that the earlier work of Federico Commandino on the subject was incomplete, and he undertook the study at the request of the mathematician Guidobaldo del Monte.

The note explains that Galileo later set the work aside after encountering a more complete treatment by the mathematician Luca Valerio.

Why it matters

This treatise shows Galileo working as a serious young mathematician engaging directly with the geometry of his time, in dialogue with other mathematicians like Commandino, del Monte, and Valerio. It reveals the collaborative and competitive world of mathematics Galileo grew up in before his astronomical discoveries.

Look closer

• What does it tell us that Galileo stopped his own work after reading Valerio's book?
• Why might a mathematician work on a problem that someone else, like Commandino, had already attempted?
• What does this treatise suggest about how mathematical ideas were shared among scholars at this time?