Pytheas, << PIHTH ee uhs, >> was a Greek explorer who lived in the late 300’s B.C. Pytheas slipped by a blockade set up by the Carthaginian navy at Gibraltar in order to explore the northern coasts of Europe. He sailed around Britain and explored that area. He heard of a mysterious land called Thule, which may have been Norway.
Pytheas was a great navigator. He knew that the North Star is not directly above the North Pole. He also realized that the moon has something to do with ocean tides. Many Greek authorities doubted his honesty. However, later discoveries showed that he was telling the truth about the things he had seen. Pytheas was born in Massalia (now Marseille, France).
