The Trivium and Quadrivium

Prior to this reading, I knew nothing about the development of medieval arithmetic and its progression from the trivium and quadrivium. Thus, it was shocking to learn that the processes of defining liberal arts and what studies should be rudimentary to one's education were discussed in medieval times over 2000 years ago; an important topic of discussion regardless of era. I was overwhelmed by the sheer fact many of these ancient Greek and Roman philosophers such as Plato and Seneca were concerned in the composition of education and what should be taught and for how long.


Additionally, something that really made me stop was ancient Greece's definition of "logistics" where they wanted differentiate the arithmetic of business from the study of number, which was solely "arithmetic." Subsequently, the greeks differentiated logic from logistic, where logistic was a study for children and slaves, whereas logic was for the "free man."

As I read I continued to be surprised by the number of relationships between the Church and medieval development of the arithmetic, finding it almost amusing that the Church "denounced the seven liberal arts" strictly because they were the building blocks for Pagan education. Reading about the calendric reckoning, where arithmetic was used to determine the date of Easter, caused me to think about the acceleration of mathematical development in conjunction with religious events. Moreover, I found it intriguing that the most significant application of arithmetic during the Sixth century was for the Church which was starting foundation point for the "first period of medieval mathematical development." An ironic disposition considering the Church's initial neglect of the trivium and quadrivium.