194. Empire of Numbers: Fibonacci and the Birth of Modern Money

This episode explores the journey of Indian numerals through history, tracing their transmission from India to Europe. Against the backdrop of their initial adoption in Baghdad and subsequent spread across the Islamic world, the podcast highlights the surprisingly late arrival of these numbers in Europe, persisting with Roman numerals until the 1100s. More significantly, the discussion focuses on Toledo, Spain, a melting pot of cultures where a peaceful handover to Christian rule preserved a rich library of Arabic and Indian mathematical texts. For instance, the episode details the contributions of scholars like Said Al-Andalusi and the crucial role of Toledo in facilitating the translation of these texts into Latin by individuals such as Gerard of Cremona and Adelaide of Bath. The narrative then pivots to Fibonacci, whose work popularized Indian numerals in Europe, particularly through his book "Liber Abaci," which was later enhanced by incorporating practical applications like accountancy and interest calculations. Ultimately, the podcast reveals the profound impact of these Indian numerals on the Renaissance, influencing fields like painting through the development of perspective, and ultimately highlighting the ironic twist of Europeans using these learned mathematical tools to later colonize India.