JORDANES, A historian of the sixth century, formerly erroneously called •or nandes. Be was probably an Alan and a na tive of Lower 1\hesia. In his early years he was secretary to one of the rulers of the Alans: later he became a monk, and possibly a bishop. The work by which he has become famous is his De Rebus Geticis, usually called Getiea, written about the year 552, while he was living in or near Ravenna. This is very little more than a condensation of the Gothic History of C'assiodorus (q.v.). But as the latter has been lost, the Getica of Jordanes is of prime importance for the early history of the Goths. Moreover, his work has preserved many German legends and is also of some importance for philologists. The second work which he wrote, a summary of Roman his tory, named De Rum ma Temporum rel Originc Actibusque Gentis Romanorum, usually called Romana, is of little value. Of the numerous edi tions of both works the best is by in the Germania istorica, A act ores A n tiquissimi, vol. v. (Berlin, 1882 ) . Consult : Mornmsen's introduction: Hodgkin's discussion in vol. i. of his Italy and Her Inraders (Oxford, 18801 Potthast. Bibliotheca Historica Mcdii
_Eri ed., Berlin, 1S96).
also called JORDA NI'S DE S ‘XONIA ( ?-12361. A mathematician of the thirteenth century, born at Borgentreich, Diocese of Paderborn. He studied at Paris, where he gained a great reputation, and in 1220 as elected to succeed Saint Dominic. With the exception of Leonardo of Pisa, Jordanus is the Only learned man of the Latin West in the Middle Ages who deserved the name of mathematician, and his immediate influence was much greater than that of his Italian •ontemporary. His mathe matical writings served as a basis for teaching in the various universities of the Middle Ages and The most important of his published writings are Arithmetica Dononstrata (1496); Algorithmus Demonstratus (15:34) ; De Ponderibus (153:3) ; Jordani Opusculu 111 de P(m derositat.: (15(15): De •umeris Dulls (published by Treutlein in the Abhandlungen zur Gesehichte the Mathematik, 1879) ; Jordani cnu•arii Geo metria ref do Triangulis Libri Ir. (1887).