Lack of technological progress in late Roman Empire

[Carlton Bach]

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.

Steam power is actually not an easy thing to develop. It requires all kinds of materials and techniques, an understanding of complex physical processes (not necessarily in theory, but in practise) and oodles of experience. Look at it this way: from the first experimental models (already far advanced on Heron's toy which - this can not be said often enough - was not really as much steam engine as a jet engine) to the first desiogn that was capable of fulfilling more than one clearly circumscribed function took 200 years. For 100 of those, engiones were prodfuced in large numbers and used for pumping water, the only thing these were good for. This was in the social context of the early industrial revolution , with a clear idea of the goal and huge profits awaiting the developer. Expecting the Romans to duplicate that without clear need, without the social structures to ensure profitability, and with much less developed physical sciences and metalluirgy, is a bit demanding, I should say.