Engineering in the Ancient World

236 Pages·2000·14.922 MB·English

by  J. G. Landels

ENGINEERIINN G
THEANCIENT
WORLD
JG..L andels
UniveofrsR ietayd ing
Univtye orfCs ailifoPrrneisas
Berkyea lnLedo Ansg eles
UniveorfCs ailtiyfoP mrieas s
BerkaenlLdeo yAs n geClaelsi,fo mia
Thirse viesdeidtf iiporunsb tl i2s000h ed
Firpsutb li1s9h7Fe8id.rp satp erpbraicn1kt9 i8n1g
Copyr©i JgG.h. Lt and1e9l72s800 ;0
Alrii grhetsse Nrovp eador.ftt h piusb limcaabyte ri eopnr oodru ced
transimnai ntfoytr emod rb ya nm eanesl,e ctrmoencihca nioinrcc allu,d ing
photorceocpoyro,dra i nonytg h ienrfo rmsattoiroaannrg dee t rsiyesvtaelm ,
withporuiptoe rr miisnws riiotfrnio nmtg hp eu blisher.
LibroafCr oyn gCraetsasCl aorNgdu mbe7r6:- 52030
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Contents
1.POWEARN DE NERGSYO URCES
9
Man-power
9
Animpaolw er
13
Watepro wer
16
Winpdo wer
26
Stepaomw er
28
WATER SUPPLAINEDSE NGINEERING
2. 34
Appen-dTihxse i zoefms e asuremenatn dnozzles,
Frontairniutsh'm etic. 53
WATER PUMPS
3. 58
CRANEASN DH OISTS
4. 84
CATAPULTS
5. 99
SHIANPDS SEAT RANSPORT
6. 133
Appendix-Moefet shtoidmtsah teing
maximsupme eodfos a rveeds sels
166
LAND TRANSPORT
7. 170
THEP ROGREOSFTS H EORETICKALN OWLEDGE
8. 186
THEP RINCIGPRAELE KARNODM ANW RITERS
9.
ONT ECHNOLOGSIUCBAJLE CTS
199
HeroofA lexandria
199
Vitruvius
208
Frontinus
211
Pliny
215
APPENDTIHXER: E CONSTRUCOTFIA TO RNI REME
219
SOMEF URTHTEHRO UGHTS
225
BIBLIOGRAPHY
292
INDEX
233

Praefct eto h see ceodnidt ion
THEp urpoofst eh bioso ikts o d iscaunsdis l lusant urmabtoeefr
technolaocghiiceavle imnte hnGetr se eakn dR omawno rld.
Twenyteyaa rgsmo o sotft hien formaotnit ohnets oep wiaccsso n­
tain(eiadfn ywhaetar leil na)n umboefhr i ghslpeyc iasltiuzde­d
ienso,at l olft heema saiclcye sasnidbf leoewf, t hewmr itbtye n
classscihcoalWlah raIsta . t temtpotd eowd a 'st goi vtehr ee ader
(whetahs etru doefcn lta scsiivciallio zraa l taiyominan nt erested
int hhei stoofer nyg ineesroimineng s)i ignhtttoh m ee chanical
skiolftl hste w moo sfats cinactiivnigl iozfaa ntciioEenunsrt o pe'.
Int htew enytye asricsnet hpeu blicoaftt hfiiero esndt i ttihoenr e
habse eanc onsideurpasbulorefgi en teirnae nscti teencth nol­
ogya,n dan umboefrm ajwoorr hkasv bee epnu blisihnecdl,u d­
inagn i mporstoaunrtc e-Ibtho abosek e.fn u lrleyc ogntihzaetd
argumebnatssoe ndt echnciocnaslt rwahiincrthes m ationd ay
exacatstl hyew ye rtweo t housyaenaadrg sco a bne u seifunls olv­
insgo mhei storical apprporbolwaehcmihswc -ahaps ni o neered
byt hlea Ptreo feJs.sGEoo.rr dTohne.hr aev aec,c ordbieneganl y,
numboefpr r ojceacrtrsoi uetsd,o moeft heimn volav ifrnugi tful
collabobreatwteiceolnna sstieccihsntosla,on agdri cshtase ologists
(i nw hichoervdeoerfpr r iotrhirete ya dceorn siadpeprrso priate).
Iti sno l ongjeurs titfihaebrleetfo ocr oem plaasiId n i,id n t he
prefatcote h fier setd ittihoan't,im no sstt andhairsdt otrhiee s,
archaeologiciatslr eeaivtnaie d ddee snccreiw patyai,nv dve ey r
litattltee imspm ta dteo e nvismaegceh anciocnatlr iviann ces
actioornt 'h,a' tt hwer itstoeunr acreneso atl waeyxsa miinne d
detaainld, Gtrheeea kn dL attienr miniosnl ooutgs yu aalnlay­
lysed.'
Them aitne xotft hfier setd ithiaobsne erne printed without
chanTgheet. r ansloafpt aisosnqasug oetsfre odmL atainnGd r eek
authwoerrsae im lyo wno;t hveerr smiaoynb ess uperiinlo irt er­
ayrm eribtuet,v etnh meo setm inetnrta nsclaasnto omrest imes
makeex traoyrm diisntaaorknte esc hnmiactatlse urcsa,hst he
8 ENGINEEIRNTI HNEAG N CIEWNOTR LD
technoifbq ouaets- buusielbdydO idnygs sienOu dyss Vs.eyT wo
secthiaovbnees ea nd daettdh een d-aapnp en(dpi2px1. 9 -24)
ont hree constorftu htcert iirwoehnmi weca hcs o mplie1nt9 e8d7 ,
anads ectcioonnt asionmifuenr gt htehro ugmhotssot,nlm ya t­
tetrwos h imcyah t tewnatdsir oanbw yrn e viaenwcdeo rrsr espond­
entAsl.st ohb ei bliohgarbsae peehnxy p anadneuddp dastoe d,
fara st imaens dp ahcaeva el lowed.
Inw rittihfinerg es dti tIwi aohsne lpbeyand u mboefsr c holars
inv aridoiussc iapnlhdie nrIeme su ,sa tc knowolnecmdeog ree
myi ndebtteoPd rnoefsJes.s GEso.or rd wohn<lo,i eidn1 99H8e.
allomwete osd e hein so toenas c ouorfls eec tountr hehesi story
ofn avaarlc hit(etcghtreua ropenhp .1 6w7a rse prodwuictehd
hiksi npde rmisasnido nmg)ua,cvh hee lpafudlvo inct ehe en gi­
neerpirnogb loefcm ast apIau llrsteosc .e miuvceuhds eifunlfo r­
matioonan r chaeofilnodfrgsoi mDc r(a nlo Pwr ofessor) Michael
Fulford.
Morree ceDnrtM liyc,hL aeewlhi asgs i vveanl uhaeblwlpie t h
bibliogrreafpehriaecnnMadcrl eD si,gS btye vehnaksseo pmnte
informoefhd ir se seaorncc ahteassp purlmitan tge rBiuamtyl s.
mositm pordteabinttst o D rB orRiasn kwohvoh, a bse emno st
helpifungl i vpirnogm apnted x paenrstw teomr yqs u estoino ns
rowimnagt taenrhdsa ,ks i ndly maetl osl eoaewd erdao ffht i s
chapotnte hrse e tar ioafOl lsy mwphiiaicsdsh u teoa ppeeaarr ly
in2 00i0na n eewd itoifMo onr riasnoCdon a tTehsAet' h enian
Trire(Cm UeP ).
Twenyteyal rastI he arv,oe n caeg atiotn h amnykw iJfoec elyn
forh ehre lpe nacnodu ragement.
ReadSienpgt,c 1m9b9e9r J.LGa.n dels
1
Powera nedn ersgyo urces
THsE ourocfpe osw earv ailiancb llaes asnitciaqlwu eirstyee verely
limibtyce odm parwiistohn otfht ohpsere e sdeanVyti. r tuaailll y
worwka clso nbey m an-poowrae nri mpaolw earn,dt hkei nodf
constwrhaiitcnhhtii msp osmeadyb es eefrno ma s impillel ustra­
tioOnn.eg alloofpn e tmraoysl e evmey re xpennsoiwvaed bauyts ,
iufs eidna no rdiyne anrgionfave e raegffiec ieinwtci ydl olt he
equivwaolreoknfa t b o9u0tm eno,ro fninheo rsoefts hs em allish
sizuese idnt haen ciweonrtlfo dro, n eh ouWart.e rp owewra s
usefodrp umpianngid n duspturripaoblsu eptsr ,o banbomltuy c h
befortehfi er scte ntsu.rTcyh. et heoreptoiscsailbo ifsl tietaime s
powehro,at i erx panasnidow ni ndmwielrlkesn owbnu,at p par­
entnleyv eexrp loeixtceeodpn at v eyrs maslcla alnend,o itnu se­
fuio rp ractaipcpalli cations.
MAN-POWER
Them oscto mmomno doef e mploymianng- powwaeisrn t he
handlainnp<lgo rteorfsa mgaebl ulr doefnt sho er doef2r 0 -80lb
(9-36Tkhgii)ssd. i scuisnds eetdia niC lh apt7e,ar n da itlh at
neetdobs e cl onhee riets on otave e irmyp orltiamnitt ation, which
shoubleqd u tieo bvibouuitsas ,i t lo ooft efonr gottaeb nu.r dIefn
requmiorretesh aonn mea nt oh andiltie,ts si aznesd h ampues t
bes ucahst oa lltohwne e cesnsuamrbyoe frm ent os tacnldo se
enouagnhgd e atg ripi tFo.one r x ampilnte h,fie f tche ntsu.rcy.
thceo lumonfGs r eetke mpwleersbe u iulpfrt o ma n umboefr
secticaoln'lsce,od l durmunm tsh'e;ms ieg bheta nythuiptn o6g f t
6i(n2 mi)nd iameTtheeor n.lp yo sspilbaltceoge r ispu calh u mp
ofs toinaser outnhdle o weedrg aen,id wt o uldv ebdreiy ffi cfourl t
morteh a1n8m ent og eitn ptoos ittogi roiinapt to ncIefot.l lows,
theretfohraieitf,t t so twaeli gwhatms o rteh aanb oaut to (na ist
oftewna st)h,ew yo ulbdeu nabtlole i ifuttp o fft hger oulnedt,
alomnoev iet t,u rintr ounodrp ositiitoo nan c olumTnh.e y
migjhutbs eta blteor oilatll olnegvg erlo uonnid t esd gbeu,tt h at
10 ENGINEEIRNIT NHGEA NCIEWNOTR LD
woublead iWlh.e tnh,e repfoeroeps,la' eyoc fo utrhsheeay td h ou­
sanodfss l atvode ost hbeu ilfodrit nhge mt'wfa,oc tssh oubled
remembeTrheodut.gh hPe h araionEh gysp mta yh avhea vda st
resouorfmc aensp owGerrea,en kRd o mabnu ilcdoinntgr actors
rarhealmdyo rteh aans mallalb ofourrca en,id n a ncya sneo,
mathtoemrwa ntyh meayhy a vaes semfobrl etmdho era em bitious
projtehccetoysu ,nl edv hearvm ea n-hatnhdlela erdsg teorun seesd
inc lassical bounioelft d hileni gftsi.n gE idtehveiircn e s described
Chap4tm eurs hta vbee eenm plooyree ldts heve e yrs loawn d
extravmaegtahonofbtd u iladr ianmgap n,dd r aggtihsnetg o nes
upt hsel oopnre o llers.
Thewreer tew iom pormteacnhta ndiecvaifolcr he asr nessing
man-poOwneewr a.ts h cea psotrwa inn dlpaasrst,i cuusleafurll y
onc raonrea sb oasrhdiT ph.pe o wceoru bletd r ansmoivteatr e d
distbaynr coepi etsds,i recctoiubolendc hanbgyep du llaenyds ,
thfoer cceo ubledm ultibpybl lioecdk -anadr-rtaancgkelmee nts.
Thwei ndiltassesal b fuhialmste -cihna naidcvaalnI twtaa gasel .s o
fountdo b ei dewahle trrea cwtairsoe nq uiorfle odpw,o wbeurt
finealnyad c curcaotnetlryTo wlolm eedd.iu csaeilsl lutshtirsa.t e
Onew atsh seo -cal'lbeedno cfHh i ppocraptleiswn'ti-htaa h
windaltea ascseh n tdo p rovtihdeeex tennseieodfoner rd e duc­
infrga ctaunrddei ss locoaftt haiero mnassn lde gTsh.oe t hwears
ad evaipcpea ruesnebtdyls yo mgey naecolsomgaiclsaltp ss-taa n
mountbeedl ao' wm idwsitfoeuorslye' fod,re xtraacfo teitnugs
fromt huet e*r us.
Iti sg eneraaglrletyeh dat thG er eeaknsdR omadnisnd o t,
apparednitslcoyor,vu estreh cer ainnpk l aocfte h hea ndspikes
ona w indlHaesrosofA. l exansdpreiaoakfs s o metchailnalg e d
'handh(oclhdeeirfor'or tl uarbena)ix nlgTe hsim.si ghhatv bee en
ac rabnuktt,h eirnseo p rotohfia wtta sT.h ewraeas tl eaosnte
situaitnw ihointc hhme a iand vanotfta hgceer acnoku hladv e
beeenx ploaintwdeh de,ir teds i sadvwaonutnlaodght ea vbee en
noticedr-etpheea ter Sicnaictwteaa pnsuo lutts .eo dnt hat
weapiostne ,e amlsm ocsetr ttahiaintwt a nso ktn owtnot he
designers.
Hows eriado ruasw bwaatcshk le a ocfkt hdiesv iTcheae?n swer
seetmosb e-raltehtsehsra inss o metsiumgegse Tshteoe ndl.y
reaadlv anotfua sgiean c gr ainsskp eAes di.n ggrli(epfi rbmu,t
looesneo utgoah l ltohhwea ndtlote u rinnt hpea lomfts h hea nds)
*HippocrOanjt oeiscn,h tsa pt7e2Sr:o ranGyunsa,e œXiXIa6, 8 .
POWEANRD ENERSGOYU RCES
11
cabne m aintaailtnlhe tedi mweh,e rweiathsha ndsptihgkere isp
hatsob ec hanguesdu,afo lulrty i mpeesrr e voluBtuiitons n i.t ua­
tiownhse srpee ielsde ismsp orttahcnert a,hn akas p osidtiisvaed ­
vantTahgeefo .r cweh iccahbn e a ppltioie vtda raicecso rtdoi ng
itpso siitnir oenl attihooenp etroa tor,a m rienaicmthuwimin cge
durienagc rhe voluwthietonhn he a ndclreo sasl eisnd er awn
throtuhgoehp erasthooru'lsad netdrh sae x oifst hcer anakna,d
maximwuhme init sr ougahtlr yi ght-taotn hgalltie nsTe h.ii ss
whayc asrt artinugs-ehtdaob n ed slboeae r rantghetadhtp e o ints
atw himcohs fotr ciens e edteotd u rinot c curwrheedtn h hea n­
diwea ast' twoo' claonc'dke 'i og'hctl oTchkii'sm. p oass eesr ious
limitoantt hiceor na Whnek.ni itus n dceorn tinluooaud(sie n.gg .
ona c rawnhee tnh leo aidrs a isoeradw ,e ll-whheeatndh b eu cket
ifusl lt)h,re e vetrhsreau psptl tiote hdce r ahnakn dblyte h leo ad
musnte veexrc etehdme i nimaupmp lbiyet dho ep eraattto hre
twow eakpeositno tft shc ey cIlifedt .o etsh,he a ndwliefll ylb ack­
wardasn,d ointhc aess t arstweidn grionugnt dh leo ad may
acqumiormee ntaunmdm akteh hea ndilmep osstiosb tloTepo .
avotihddi asn gmeors,t mocdrearnnwk iendc ahrefiest tweidta h
ratcShuectahd. e vidcaet,ifr nogmt hlea fitfet che ntyBu .rCw.as,
founnde asro mnea vianls talaltSa utniioaunnmsmd, a yh avbee en
useodna w infocrhh aulsihnigup pss l ipways.
The implfoirca antciiodenensvt i wcoerskb eyhd a ndspairkee s
cleeanro ugFhoc.rr anoerhs o iosfta snk yi ntdh ues oefa c rank
woulhdav leo wetrheheda ndlcianpga bcyis tyo m2e0 -30a%n,d
iste ermast hiemrp robtahbaalst el iignhctr oeafss pee weodu ld
justtihfyas ta criOfintc here.e peactaetrat phusell ti wdaefisrt ted
witpha walnsda r atcahnedwt o,u lodn lflyyfo rwaars dh odrits ­
tanictfeh tee nsointo nhd er aw-cboarcwdke rree laIxwteo du.l d
therehfoarvbeee erne asonsaatbfoleu y sa ec raonnkt hcea pstan
att hree aorft hmea chiannedt hersepbeyeu dpt hleo ading
operatipoanr-tai ciumlpaorrlbtyea nnetfofi rtt ,h apta rticular
weapon.
Theo thmeerc handiecvaiwlca tesh ter eadmpialiolrf- av erti­
cawlh eewlistt hr ea(dlsit kheoo sfaes tep-lbaedtwdeeterhn)e m.
Ith abse covmeeyr d ifficnuolwta dtaoty asl okre, v etnot hink
abotuhtia sp paruanteumso tioannadil npl uyr,ee lnyg ineering
termbsui,tn fa cti,wf e ldle siginctea dbn,e o noe ft hmeo setffi ­
ciednetv ifocret sh piusr poasnedt, hm eo scto mfortfoarbt lhee
operatosrofa- rai san n cyo ntinmuoonuost,o pnhoyusswi ocrakl
12 ENGINEERIINTN HGEA NCIEWNOTR LD
caben comfortTahbebl aes.ai cct iinsoo nut n litkhoeaf tp edalling
ab icyacnldie it,s s ignifitchaarntet c eanttt emtport esa tchhe
absolluitmoeif tt shh eu mabno dyc'asp abiilnti htdeie evse,l op­
menotfm an-powfleirgehhdat v,me o stulsyet dh aatr rangement.
Thed ifferietsnh caaect y cpluilsoltnts h hea ndleabnadur sse,s
thaeb domimnuaslc alsew se lalst hlee mgu scltehtser; e admill
operautsoetrsh ree actfrioomln i ftihnibgso dwye igmhati,n ly
witthhl ee mgu scles.
Averyu seffuela touftr hete r eademsiplelc,wi haelunls yeo dna
cranitesh, a ttht eo rqwuhei,dc eht ermtihnpeeu slo lnt hheo ist­
ing-ccaabbnle ee ,a sainlday c curaadtjeulsbyty te hdoe p erator
shifthiipnsog s iotnit ohwneh eTehlme.a ximtuomr qiousbe t ained
whetnh oep erattroerat dhwseh eaetalp oionnta l evweiltt hh e
axl(te h ciason n lbyed onfreo mt hoeu tsiIdhfee t) r.e aadbso ve
thapto i(notu tsoirbd eel)io t(w i nstihdteeo )r qiulsee sasn,di f
hes tanddisr eacbtolvoyer b eltowha ex lieti sz erToh.u tsh e
amouonftt o rqrueeq uibreetdw tehemena ximaunmzd e rcoa,n
beo btaibnyme odv ifonrwga rodrsb ackwards.
Thimsa yp ossaiffbolraydn e xplanoafatr iaotnhm eyrs terious
lengotfhw owoidtn ho tcahleoson ngse i dfoeu,n nde atrhR eo man
watpeurm pisnt hRei Toi nmtion eWsh.e tn hepsuem p(sw hich
themsaecltvaeestds r eadmwielrblees i)un sgei dna s eriiwteo su,l d
bev eyri mporttoak netet ph oeu tpoufet a cohft hecmo nstant,
andc onsistthesena tmalesyt h aotft hpeu mpasb oavnedb elow
--otherwtihsseeu mwpso uelidt ehmeproty r o verflIotfwh p.ii se ce
ofw oowda osn oef t wboe amssu pporamt oivnaghb laen drtahiel ,
neceysa sdajrustfomrem netnos fd ifferweenitgw hotrsk tihneg
sampeu mpastd ifferteinmcteo su bledm adbey s hiftinrga itlh e
aloonngoe r t wnoo tcfohrewsa,r tdors e duocuet pourbt a ckwards
toi ncrieta.s e
A secovnadl uafebalteuo rfte h mea n-powterreeaddi misi tlsl
mobiTlhiecty r.a ne osnht ohmweon n umeonftt h e Ha(tp8e.4r )i i
couplrde sumhaavbebl eye dni smanatnlidet jdsi,l b a hiodr izon­
talolnoy n eo rm orcea rwthsi,tl hete r eadimtiscleollu fhl adv e
beerno llaeldoa nngry e asonlaebvrleoyla ( dt hwaatas l soon e
methuosde fodrt ranspcoorltuimnng- <lTrhuemwrsae)si .,nfa ct,
noo thseuri tpaobwlesero uracvea ilWaibnlpdeo .w eirsh ope­
lesusnlrye liaanbadbl uei,l wdoeurlb dee xtrelmuecltkyyoh ave
watpeorw earv ailoantb hlseei attae l lle,at l onneea ern outgoh
anpya rtibcuuilladArig nlga.na ctte hl eta e hri stoofcr rya nsehso ws