古希臘人發展了許多日晷的原理和形式。據信日晷是由米利都的阿那克西曼德 約560 BCE引入希臘的。根據希羅多德的說法,希臘日晷最初是源自巴比倫的日晷。希臘人在發展日晷科學方面處於有利地位,他們發展了幾何學,特別是發現了日晷結點所描繪的圓錐截面。據說數學家和天文學家比提尼亞的狄奧多西(英語:Theodosius of Bithynia)(大約西元前160年至大約西元前100年)發明了一種可以在地球上任何地方使用的通用日晷[15]。
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