Simone Stratigo
Encyclopedia
Simone Stratigo ; ca. 1733 – ca. 1824) was a Greek mathematician and an Nautical science expert who studied and lived in Padova and Pavia
in 18th century Italy
.
in Croatia
), a region which was part of the Republic of Venice
at the time. His family were originally from Candia
, Crete
and had migrated to Dalmatia due to the Ottoman conquest of Crete in 1669. While still young, Simone and his brother studied in the University of Padua
under the discipline of their uncle Antonio Stratico (Antonios Stratigos), who was an educated man, especially in things Greek, and was director of the Cottunio Greek college
at the time. Stratigo graduated in medicine from the University of Padua
, where at the age of twenty-five years he became a professor
.
He was a member of the delegation who traveled from Venice
to England
in 1761 to congratulate the new king George III, he remained in the country a few years to study and became a member of various academies including the Royal Society of London. At that time he was greatly impressed by the size and economic strength of the British navy. He soon moved back in Padua, where he replaced Giovanni Poleni the chair of Mathematics and Navigation. In this capacity, he studied extensively the water regime of the Republic of Venice, collaborating with various interventions in hydraulics. He participated in cleaning up the valleys of Verona
and the regulation of the Brenta
and Bacchiglione
. In 1786 he joined as an ordinary member of the Accademia dei XL.
With the fall of the Republic
in 1801 he was invited to teach nautical science at the University of Pavia
, and he also studied the teaching of physics under Alessandro Volta
. During the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy was appointed Inspector General of Bridges and Roads, and among other positions he was President of the Academy of Fine Arts and Sciences Institute of Lombardy in Milan. In recognition of his work, he was elected senator in 1809. He received several international awards, including the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor and of the Iron Crown
. The Emperor Francis I of Austria awarded him the Cross of the Order of Leopold
, and the title of Professor Emeritus of the University of Padua and Pavia. Simone Stratigo died in Milan on 16 July 1824.
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
in 18th century Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Biography
Simone Stratigo was born as Symeon Filippos Stratigos to a family of Greek origin in 1733, in Zara, Dalmatia (modern ZadarZadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
), a region which was part of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
at the time. His family were originally from Candia
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and had migrated to Dalmatia due to the Ottoman conquest of Crete in 1669. While still young, Simone and his brother studied in the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
under the discipline of their uncle Antonio Stratico (Antonios Stratigos), who was an educated man, especially in things Greek, and was director of the Cottunio Greek college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
at the time. Stratigo graduated in medicine from the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
, where at the age of twenty-five years he became a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
.
He was a member of the delegation who traveled from Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1761 to congratulate the new king George III, he remained in the country a few years to study and became a member of various academies including the Royal Society of London. At that time he was greatly impressed by the size and economic strength of the British navy. He soon moved back in Padua, where he replaced Giovanni Poleni the chair of Mathematics and Navigation. In this capacity, he studied extensively the water regime of the Republic of Venice, collaborating with various interventions in hydraulics. He participated in cleaning up the valleys of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
and the regulation of the Brenta
Brenta
Brenta may refer to:* Brenta , Italy* Brenta Valley* Brenta Group* Brenta, Lombardy...
and Bacchiglione
Bacchiglione
The Bacchiglione is a river that flows through northern Italy. It rises in the Alps and empties into the Gulf of Venice, on the Adriatic Sea, near Chioggia...
. In 1786 he joined as an ordinary member of the Accademia dei XL.
With the fall of the Republic
Treaty of Campo Formio
The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on 18 October 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Philipp von Cobenzl as representatives of revolutionary France and the Austrian monarchy...
in 1801 he was invited to teach nautical science at the University of Pavia
University of Pavia
The University of Pavia is a university located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. It was founded in 1361 and is organized in 9 Faculties.-History:...
, and he also studied the teaching of physics under Alessandro Volta
Alessandro Volta
Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Gerolamo Umberto Volta was a Lombard physicist known especially for the invention of the battery in 1800.-Early life and works:...
. During the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy was appointed Inspector General of Bridges and Roads, and among other positions he was President of the Academy of Fine Arts and Sciences Institute of Lombardy in Milan. In recognition of his work, he was elected senator in 1809. He received several international awards, including the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor and of the Iron Crown
Order of the Iron Crown
The Imperial Order of the Iron Crown was established June 5, 1805 by Napoleon Bonaparte . It took its name from the ancient Iron Crown of Lombardy, a medieval jewel with an iron ring, forged from what was supposed to be a nail from the True Cross as a band on the inside. This crown also gave its...
. The Emperor Francis I of Austria awarded him the Cross of the Order of Leopold
Order of Leopold (Austria)
The Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold was founded by Franz I of Austria on 8 January 1808. The order's statutes stipulated only three grades: Grand Cross, Commander and Knight. During the war, in common with the other Austro-Hungarian decorations Crossed Swords were instituted to reward bravery in...
, and the title of Professor Emeritus of the University of Padua and Pavia. Simone Stratigo died in Milan on 16 July 1824.
Works
The most important scientific contributions of Stratigo were in the field of physics, hydraulics and naval architecture. Of the roughly 35 works that he left, we must remember especially (in chronological order):- Raccolta di proposizioni d'idrostatica e d'idraulica, Padova 1773
- Teoria compita della costruzione e del maneggio dei bastimenti (traduzione annotata dell'opera in francese di Eulero), Padova 1776
- Elementi d'idrostatica e d'idraulica, Padova 1791
- Vocabolario di marina nelle tre lingue Italiana, Inglese e Francese, Milano, 1813–1814
- Bibliografia di marina, Milano 1823