The earliest form of the epicycle theory / Bartel L. van der Waerden.
Abstract:
'In what follows, I shall call the theory explained by Pliny and by the papyrus [Papyrus Michigan 149] the primitive epicycle theory'. In section 2 I shall present my arguments in favour of a pre-Apollonius origin of this theory. In sections 3 and 4 I shall show that the primitive epicycle theory' is probably due to the Pythagoreans.'
Journal for the history of astronomy Vol. 5 (1974), p. 175-185