The Seleucids and Their Dynasty

The Seleucids and Their Dynasty The Seleucids were the rulers of the eastern part of Alexander the Greats empire from June 312 to 64 B.C. They were Hellenistic Greek kings in Asia. When Alexander the Great died, his empire was carved up. His first generation successors were known as the diadochi. [See map of the Kingdoms of the Diadochi.] Ptolemy took the Egyptian part, Antigonus took the area in Europe, including Macedonia, and Seleucus took the eastern part, Asia, which he ruled until 281. The Seleucids were the members of the dynasty that ruled Phoenicia, Asia Minor, northern Syria and Mesopotamia. Jona Lendering names the modern states that comprise this area as: Afghanistan,Iran,Iraq,Syria,Lebanon,parts of Turkey, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The followers of the eponymous Seleucus I were known as the Seleucids or the Seleucid Dynasty. Their actual names included Seleucus, Antiochus, Diodotus, Demetrius, Philip, Cleopatra, Tigranes, and Alexander. Although the Seleucids lost parts of the empire over time, including Transoxania, lost to the Parthians in about 280, and Bactria (Afghanistan) around 140-130 B.C., to the nomadic Yuezhi (possibly the Tocahrians) [E. Knoblochs Beyond the Oxus: Archaeology, Art and Architecture of Central Asia (1972)], they held on to parts. It was only in 64 B.C. that the era of Seleucid rule ended when the Roman leader Pompey annexed Syria and Lebanon.

Attributes in Mathematics

Attributes in Mathematics In mathematics, the word attribute is used to describe a characteristic or feature of an object- usually within a pattern- that allows for grouping of it with other similar objects and is typically used to describe size, shape, or color of objects in a group. The term attribute is taught as early as kindergarten where children are often given a set of attribute blocks of differing colors, sizes, and shapes which the children are asked to sort according to a specific attribute, such as by size, color or shape, then asked to sort again by more than one attribute. In summary, the attribute in math is usually used to describe a geometric pattern  and is used generally throughout the course of mathematic study to define certain traits or characteristics of a group of objects in any given scenario, including the area and measurements of a square or the shape of a football. Common Attributes in Elementary Mathematics When students are introduced to mathematical attributes in kindergarten and first grade, they are primarily expected to understand the concept as it applies to physical objects and the basic physical descriptions of these objects, meaning that size, shape, and color are the most common attributes of early mathematics. Although these basic concepts are later expanded upon in higher mathematics, especially geometry and trigonometry, its important for young mathematicians to grasp the notion that objects can share similar traits and features that can help them sort large groups of objects into smaller, more manageable groupings of objects. Later, especially in higher mathematics, this same principle will be applied to calculating totals of quantifiable attributes between groups of objects like in the example below. Using Attributes to Compare and Group Objects Attributes are especially important in early childhood math lessons, where students must grasp a core understanding of how similar shapes and patterns can help group objects together, where they can then be counted and combined or divided equally into different groups. These core concepts are essential to understanding higher maths, especially in that they provide a basis for simplifying complex equations- from multiplication and division to algebraic and calculus formulas- by observing the patterns and similarities of attributes of particular groups of objects.   Say, for instance, a person had 10 rectangular flower planters that had each had attributes of 12 inches long by 10 inches wide and 5 inches deep. A person would be able to determine that combined surface area of the planters (the length times the width times the number of planters) would equal 600 square inches. On the other hand, if a person had 10 planters that were 12 inches by 10 inches and 20 planters that were 7 inches by 10 inches, the person would have to group the two different sizes of planters by these attributes in order to quickly determine how much surface area all the planters have between them. The formula, therefore, would read (10 X 12 inches X 10 inches) (20 X 7 inches X 10 inches) because the two groups total surface area must be calculated separately since their quantities and sizes differ.