05-13-2008, 02:40 AM
I've recently come across an extremely fascinating anonymous treatise from the 4th century AD entitled De Rebus Bellicis (which of all things even has a Wiki page, here). It contains a whole host of fairly ingenious inventions, such as a mobile ballista different from the already known manuballista; another ballista of such strength that the bolt would cross the span of the Danube river, and this machine having been already built and tested as the author says; and mechanically paddled ships powered by oxen, with circular wheels exactly like the steam ships of the 19th century.
Representation in a medieval manuscript: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:De_R ... iature.JPG
These and other machines were explained in the context of already-existing inventions and previously-tried experiments, which leads me to say that the book on Roman science hasn't properly been written yet.
Representation in a medieval manuscript: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:De_R ... iature.JPG
These and other machines were explained in the context of already-existing inventions and previously-tried experiments, which leads me to say that the book on Roman science hasn't properly been written yet.
Multi viri et feminae philosophiam antiquam conservant.
James S.
James S.
