193. Empire of Numbers: The Indian Origin of Arabic Numerals

Empire

Jack Davenport

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Often called Arabic numerals, the modern number system we use today actually originates in India. Whilst in the west they were using Roman numerals, in India they were using numbers 1-9. Then, the great Brahmagupta in the 7th century made one of the most monumental developments in human history. He invented zero in its modern form. Therefore, these basic rules of mathematics for the first time allowed any number up to infinity to be expressed with just ten distinct symbols: the nine Indian numbers plus zero. Rules that are still taught in classrooms around the world today. This step was a major advance that had never previously been attempted elsewhere and it was this Indian reincarnation of zero as a number, rather than just as an absence, that transformed it and gave it its power. From India, this development then travelled along the Golden Road and into the heart of Barmakid Baghdad. Listen as William and Anita discuss the origins of the Empire of Numbers. To buy William's book: https://coles-books.co.uk/the-golden-road-by-william-dalrymple-signed-edition Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: [email protected] Goalhangerpodcasts.com Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	If you want access to bonus episodes reading lists for every series of empire, a chat community,
0:06.7	discounts for all the books mentioned in the week's podcast, add free listening and a weekly
0:11.5	newsletter, sign up to Empire Club at
0:14.4	W.
0:15.1	W. Empire pod UK.com. This episode is brought to you by Shopify.
0:29.0	Here that.
0:30.0	That's the sound of you making sales and ruling at business and you could hear a lot more with Shopify
0:38.1	an all-in-one commerce platform that helps run and grow your company.
0:43.0	Whether you're just starting out selling online,
0:45.2	opening your first store or adding another location,
0:48.2	Shopify has you covered.
0:50.2	And with lots of industry leading tools, they give you complete control of your brand.
0:55.2	No design or coding experience is required.
0:58.4	Sign up for a one-pound per month trial period at shopify.co. UK slash empire all lowercase that
1:06.6	Shopify dot c.o dot UK slash empire. Empire. Hello and Welcome to Empire with me Anita Arnhem.
1:25.0	And me, William Deremple.
1:27.0	Now over the next two episodes we're going to be doing something very, very hilarious.
1:30.0	We are going to be talking to my lovely friend who I adore.
1:34.0	William Durranpo is an amazing writer and the Golden Road soaring like a Phoenix in the sky.
1:39.6	But he's going to be talking about numbers and if anyone knows William at all the panic the
1:45.4	sweat the beads of sweat on his head when you ask him to add two fairly small
1:52.0	and innocuous numbers.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jack Davenport, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Jack Davenport and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.