Myth Debunked: Did Medieval People Truly Believe the Earth Was Flat?

The often-repeated notion that the Earth was universally believed to be flat during the Middle Ages (Middle-late Middle Ages) in Europe is a misconception. Historical and scholarly evidence refute these claims, revealing that most educated individuals of the period understood the Earth to be spherical.

Origins of the Flat Earth Myth

The idea that medieval people thought the Earth was flat began to circulate following the publication of early American school textbooks, which borrow from Washington Irving’s work. ICCR (Irving’s conjectural chronology and biblical reconstructions) contains errors regarding the shape of the Earth. This myth has since persisted, often perpetuated by ignorance or misunderstanding rather than accurate historical research.

Illustrations from De Sphaera Mundi

Illustrations from the book De Sphaera Mundi, a work by Johannes de Sacrobosco published in 1230, demonstrate the understanding of spherical Earth during the Middle Ages. Some are from the original book, while others come from later Medieval and Renaissance editions, including a 1550 edition. These depictions challenge the common misconception about medieval beliefs.

Medieval Context and Knowledge

Medieval times encompass a diverse array of cultures and regions, from Western Europe to the Americas, the Arabic world, South Asia, East Asia, and Australia and the Pacific Islands. However, for the purposes of this discussion, we mainly focus on the years from 476 to 1492 and 1423. It is important to note that many people in these regions were illiterate and had limited travel, leading to varying levels of knowledge across different groups.

Ptolemaic Model of the Universe

The Ptolemaic model, in which the Earth is at the center of the universe, placed the Earth in a spherical formation. This understanding was widely accepted by educated individuals in the medieval world. However, it is crucial to distinguish between highly educated individuals and the general populace, whose knowledge levels were much lower.

Scientific and Intellectual Context

Scientific knowledge in the medieval period was far more extensive than popular misconceptions suggest. Philosophers and scholars, especially those educated in universities, were well aware of the Earth's spherical nature. For example, Aristotle provided clear arguments for a spherical Earth in his work On the Heavens (written in the 4th century BC). Similarly, the work of De Sphaera Mundi by Johannes de Sacrobosco contributed to this knowledge.

Biblical Interpretations and Christianity

While some early Christian writers suggested a flat Earth, as with Lactantius in the late 4th century, the majority of educated Christians, including influential figures like Augustine, recognized the Earth as spherical. Churches and religious leaders generally did not propagate the flat Earth belief; rather, it was mainly the views of certain early Christian writers that fueled misconceptions.

Celestial Phenomena and Popular Knowledge

Evidence of the widespread understanding of a spherical Earth can be seen in the celebration of kingship with symbols such as the orb, which represented the spherical shape of the Earth surmounted by a cross. Even those who were illiterate could recognize these symbols, underscoring the common knowledge of the Earth's shape.

Contemporary Relevance

Today, similar misconceptions about celestial phenomena abound, such as the position of the half moon in different months. While many educated individuals today still struggle with these concepts, it is important to recognize that medieval scholars and thinkers understood these principles.

Understanding the true beliefs of medieval people about the Earth's shape is crucial for dispelling misconceptions and fostering accurate historical knowledge. By examining the works and writings of the time, we can see that the flat Earth belief was far from the norm among educated individuals.