The Origin of the Story of Ancient Greek Mathematician Thales Transporting Salt with Mules

This article explores the origin of the story of ancient Greek mathematician Thales transporting salt with mules. Through the investigation of Thales in historical works on mathematics, it was found that British historian of mathematics James Gow might first introduce this tale in A Short History of Greek Mathematics in 1884. Gow argued that the story originated from Plutarch or Aristotle, but such claims have not been accepted by Western historians of mathematics. American mathematician Howard Eves proposed a connection to Aesop, whereas Aesop’s Fables is a collection of literary fables, and thus lacks historical authority. Furthermore, no historians of mathematics prior to the mid-20th century had proposed such a view. Finally, as time progressed, the narrative of Thales transporting salt with mules has increasingly acquired fictional characteristics. These findings indicate that the story of Thales transporting salt with mules has no credible documentary evidence. It can be concluded that the story of ancient Greek mathematician Thales transporting salt with mules is not genuine scientific history, but a fabricated tale about Thales that emerged in the late nineteenth century.