Lack of technological progress in late Roman Empire

[Tarbicus]

The larger point is that they did nothing with it - no, worse - they saw it as a toy.

But perhaps it just simply didn't have much puff, and to realise an engine that could drive propellers through water (an incredibly resistant substance) is another thing entirely. Look at the pressures involved with a steam engine and its boilers, they can be immense. You have to really ensure that the metal plate used is of very high quality lest you blow yourself up. For all we know someone may have tried but did die in the process, setting back the progress by a generation if he hadn't the means to record in minute detail what he had done so far. Besides, they were killed - life in ancient times could be short enough without adding that risk, when slaves or paid freemen could act as intelligent, mobile (and readily replaceable) computerised robots and engines? Even though the technology was theoretically there hundreds of years later the human race didn't harness it for mass transport or production until much later, still using the exact same means as the Romans did up until then.

Look at today. We know we can make computers faster, smaller, and actually intelligent. But, we don't have the technology to do it yet.