- Ancient Greek technology
Ancient Greek technology developed at an unprecedented speed during the 5th century BC, continuing up to and including the girls period, and beyond. Inventions that are credited to the
ancient Greeks such as the gear, screw, rotary mills, screw press,bronze casting techniques, water clock, water organ, torsion catapult and the use of steam to operate some experimental machines and toys. Many of these inventions occurred late in the Greek period, often inspired by the need to improve weapons and tactics in war. However, peaceful uses are shown by their early development of thewatermill , a device which pointed to further exploitation on a large scale under the Romans. They developedsurveying andmathematics to an advanced state, and many of their technical advances were published by philosophers likeArchimedes and Hero.Inventions
*
Antikythera mechanism
*Screw s
*Pipe Organ s
*Diving bell s
*Parchment
* Torsion catapults
*Shower s
*Cannon Water technology
One of the ancient Greeks foundations for many modern technological achievements would include water resources. Some fields that were encompassed in the area of water resources (mainly for urban use), would include such areas as groundwater exploitation, construction of
aqueduct s for water supply, stormwater and wastewater sewerage systems, flood protection and drainage, construction and use offountain s, baths and other sanitary and purgatory facilities, and even recreational uses of water. [Angelakis, A. N., and D. Koutsoyiannis, Urban water engineering and management in ancient Greece, The Encyclopedia of Water Science, edited by B. A. Stewart and T. Howell, 999-1007, Dekker, New York, 2003.]Mining
The Greeks developed extensive
silver mines atLaurium , the profits from which helped to support the growth ofAthens as acity-state . It involved mining the ore in underground galleries, washing the ores andsmelting it to produce the metal. Elaborate washing tables still exist at the site using rain water held incistern s and collected during the winter months.Technology
The failure of the Greeks to develop their technology has sometimes been status of people providing labor. Manual labor was despised, and anyone attempting to apply science to it was likely to lose status in society, removing much of the incentive to seek technological innovation. A sophisticated
tunnel built for anaqueduct in the 6th century BCE by the engineerEupalinos atSamos has led to some revaluation of the skills of the Greeks.Ancient Greek technology
References
Further reading
* Lewis, M. J. T., [http://www.sciencenews.gr/docs/diolkos.pdf "Railways in the Greek and Roman world"] , in Guy, A. / Rees, J. (eds), "Early Railways. A Selection of Papers from the First International Early Railways Conference" (2001), pp. 8-19 (10-15)
External links
* [http://www.itia.ntua.gr/e/docinfo/539/|Water Technology]
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