Engineering in the Ancient World - Softcover

Landels, J. G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0094804907 ISBN 13: 9780094804906

Publisher: Constable & Robinson, 2000

Synopsis

This extraordinary book reveals the engineering know-how of the ancient Greeks and Romans, explores in fascinating detail how they developed and constructed their machines, and considers how the same principles are used in modern-day engineering.
The achievements of the Greeks and Romans in art, culture, philosophy and war are well known, but their prowess as engineers has been less well studied. They made many remarkable machines, which were not bettered until the Industrial Revolution. Using wind, water, animal and man power, they made crossbows and catapults for war; built water-mills and pumps, including fire-engines; designed cranes and hoists for building; built and sailed ships both for commerce and war; and constructed aqueducts to carry water for miles to feed their complex municipal plumbing systems.
In this new, revised edition, Dr Landels has added a chapter on how - to his astonishment and delight - it has proved possible to reconstruct and sail an exact replica of an Ancient Greek trireme.

About this title

Review:

"[Landels] has given a new dimension to our appreciation of Greek and Roman civilization. We are accustomed to appreciate what Greek and Roman artists, writers, and philosophers accomplished. We have not really understood what they achieved as engineers."--"Classical Outlook"

Book Description:

The definitive account of Greek and Roman engineering

About this edition

• Publisher: Constable & Robinson
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0094804907
• ISBN 13: 9780094804906
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 239