Understanding Greek and Roman Technology: From Catapult to the Pantheon

An exploration of ancient Greek and Roman engineering; the technological edge that allows the Greeks to beat the Persians at the Battle of Salamis; a preview of an important piece of technology.

The engineering materials available in classical antiquity; the simple physics of compression and tension; considering stone, wood, clay, copper, bronze and iron; the influence of their use and properties on technological systems.

The journey of an important construction material; following a block of stone from a quarry to its final resting place in the wall of a Greek temple; how stone blocks are extracted from solid bedrock, moved many miles, and then fitted together.

A classical-era temple; the achievements of Hellenic civilization; its origins; its architectural consistency; the principles of Greek temple design; its structural limitations.

Why no wodden roof from a Greek temple has survived; how these structures are engineered; how Greek and later Roman architects cover large interior spaces with increasingly sophisticated timber roof systems.

How the physics of the arch solves the problem of the tensile weakness of stone; how standard bricks and concrete greatly simplify and reduce the cost of monumental building; these technologies are the key to Rome's construction revolution.