Engineering in the Ancient World - Softcover

Landels, J. G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0520041275 ISBN 13: 9780520041271

Publisher: University of California Press, 1981

Synopsis

In his classic book, J. G. Landels describes the technological advances of the Greeks and Romans with erudition and enthusiasm. He provides an important introduction to engineering, writing about power and energy sources, water engineering, cranes, and transportation devises. From aqueducts to catapults, he attempts to envision machines as they may have worked in the ancient world. He then traces the path of knowledge taken by early thinkersincluding Plato, Pliny, and Archimedesin developing early theories of engineering and physics.

About this title

About the Author

J. G. Landels, now retired, was a Senior Lecturer in Classics at Reading University. His work, in collaboration with the Engineering Department, involved making working replicas of ancient machines and testing them in the field.

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"

Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 1981
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0520041275
• ISBN 13: 9780520041271
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224