Who created exponents?

The Greek mathematician Archimedes is credited with discovering and proving the law of exponents in "The Sand Reckoner." His famous work was designed to express the number of grains of sand that can fit in the universe, leading to a discussion about the way to refer to large numbers.

Up until the release of "The Sand Reckoner" around the year 216 BC, scientists and mathematicians discussed numbers as high as 100 million, which they referred to as a "myriad times a myriad" or 10,000 times 10,000. In order to discuss previously incalculable and inconceivable numbers, such as the grains of sand in the universe, Archimedes devised the system of exponents still in use today.