Is the author of Ecclesiastes referring to Archimedes?

Question

The following passage is Ecclesiastes 9:14

A small city, and few people in it, and a great king comes there, and encircled it and built upon it great fortifications. And he found in it, a poor wise man, who delivered the city in his wisdom, and nobody remembered this poor man.

Upon reading this, I immediately thought of Archimedes. I found people calling this an analogy.

But considering the late date of Ecc, could this be a direct reference to the siege of Syracuse? Is it consistent with the dating of the text to identify the "poor wise man" as Archimedes?

Answer 1

According to The Interpreter's Bible, the language is written in a late form of Hebrew and so:

As judged by it's language, the book of Ecclesiastes is much later than the work of the Chronicler and later than the book of Esther (ca. 300 B.C.).

If you agree with the 3rd century B.C. dating of Ecclesiastes, then perhaps it could be seen as an analogy, however I would argue against it being direct reference because of two points:

1. Archimedes is famous today and was famous then - orders were given for him not to be harmed (although despite this he was killed)
2. In Ecclesiastes 9:15 the little city was delivered. This was not the case for Syracuse.