Lack of technological progress in late Roman Empire

[Theodosius the Great]

Stephen,

Great example : the book. I heard of that too, books being as old as the first Bible (early IV century). I guess I'm just so fixated on warfare technology. :wink:

Goffredo,

The Romans managed to harness the powers of both water and fire. But harnessing steam was beyond their grasp ?



Was it physically impossible to build on Heron's invention ? Or are you saying that cirsumstances prevented them from doing so ? As I said earlier, the Romans used boilers to harness Greek Fire in the VI century.

The issue of whether romans were not open to technological progress is interesting. Similar closure to technological progress was not a prerogative of the romans. The chinese were closed, and the islamics too. For different and maybe similar reasons. So I wouldn't blame the romans for not developing Heron's toy. The islamics did nothing with it too. But I am not blaming them either.

I think you can place blame depending of whether the people in question were either actively or passively closed-minded toward innovation. The Romans were passively so, I believe, unlike the islamics or Chinese (depending on the time period).


Theo