Archimedes was an Ancient Greek mathematician, physicist and astronomer born in 287 BC in Syracuse, Sicily. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and physics, including establishing that the buoyant force on an object submerged in a fluid equals the weight of the fluid displaced. Archimedes designed innovative war machines and ships, including the Syracusia which could carry 600 people. He also approximated the value of pi and proved formulas for the areas of circles and spheres that are still used today. Archimedes died during the Roman siege of Syracuse when he was killed by a soldier despite his wish to continue his scholarly work.