[PatrickHenry]

Aristotle (384-322 BC) also proposed a spherical earth on geometric grounds, but backed up his assertion with physical evidence:

* Ships disappearing over the horizon appear hull-down in the water.
* Travelers going south see southern constellations rise higher above the horizon.
* Shadow of the earth on the moon during a lunar eclipse is round.

Aristotle's demonstration was so compelling that a spherical Earth was the central assumption of all subsequent philosophers of the Classical era (up to ~300 AD).

He also used the curved phases of the moon to argue that the Moon must also be a sphere like the Earth.

Source: Measuring the Earth.

[Oztrich Boy]

Aristotle's demonstration was so compelling that a spherical Earth was the central assumption of all subsequent philosophers of the Classical era (up to ~300 AD)

Harry was one smart dude!