The full history of pi (π) is a rich and fascinating tale that spans thousands of years, with contributions from many mathematicians and cultures. Here's a comprehensive overview:

*Ancient Civilizations (2000 BCE - 500 CE)*

1. *Egyptians*: The Rhind Papyrus (circa 1650 BCE) shows an approximation of pi as 3.1605.

2. *Babylonians*: The Babylonians approximated pi as 3.125 in the ancient city of Babylon (circa 1900-1680 BCE).

3. *Greeks*: The Greek mathematician Archimedes (287-212 BCE) made significant contributions to the calculation of pi, approximating it as 3.1418.

4. *Chinese*: The Chinese mathematician Liu Hui (fl. 3rd century CE) calculated pi as 3.1415.

*Middle Ages (500-1500 CE)*

1. *Indian mathematicians*: The Indian mathematician Aryabhata (476 CE) calculated pi as 3.1416.

2. *Persian mathematicians*: The Persian mathematician Jamshīd al-Kāshī (1380-1429 CE) calculated pi to 16 decimal places.

*Renaissance and Enlightenment (1500-1800 CE)*

1. *German mathematicians*: The German mathematician Ludolph van Ceulen (1540-1610 CE) calculated pi to 35 decimal places.

2. *English mathematicians*: The English mathematician William Jones (1675-1749 CE) introduced the symbol π for pi.

*Modern Era (1800-2000 CE)*

1. *Computer calculations*: The advent of computers enabled calculations of pi to billions of decimal places.

2. *Mathematical discoveries*: New mathematical discoveries, such as the Bailey–Borwein–Plouffe formula (1995 CE), have enabled more efficient calculations of pi.

*Contemporary Era (2000 CE-present)*

1. *Record-breaking calculations*: Pi has been calculated to over 31 trillion decimal places using advanced computational methods and algorithms.

2. *Pi Day celebrations*: Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) to commemorate the first three digits of pi.

The history of pi is a testament to human curiosity and the pursuit of mathematical knowledge. From ancient civilizations to modern-day calculations, pi remains an essential constant in mathematics and science.