How Ancient Mechanics Thought About Machines

friedo writes "The NYTimes has an interesting piece about Prof. Mark Schiefsky, a Harvard classicist with an interest in the history of science. Schiefsky pores over ancient texts in Greek, Latin, and Arabic to decipher the origin of knowledge that's been taken for granted for millennia. For example, a Greek treatise published a generation before Archimedes' proofs of the lever laws explains why, if you were a galley slave, you'd want to work the oars near the center of the ship instead of closer to the hull."

Comments

Oh, the irony!

[Chris Burke]

"For example, a Greek treatise published a generation before Archimedes' proofs of the lever laws explains why, if you were a galley slave, you'd want to work the oars near the center of the ship instead of closer to the hull."

Not a very useful treatise since if you were a galley slave, you probably couldn't read! Oh, and they wouldn't let you off the ship to visit the library and check out the treatise anyway.

Those poor, poor galley slaves.

Working conditions

[The Ancients]

For example, a Greek treatise published a generation before Archimedes' proofs of the lever laws explains why, if you were a galley slave, you'd want to work the oars near the center of the ship instead of closer to the hull."

Do you think it was mentioned in their induction pack along with their sunscreen, sunhat, and timecard?

Re:Working conditions

[elronxenu]

... and sample TPS report cover sheets.

(That's TPS as in Trireme Propulsion System)

Re:Not all slaves would be illiterate ...

[trb]

Literacy rates in the fourth century aren't known, but for Athens itself, at least, the literacy rates might have been very high.

Of course they were literate. They knew ancient Greek!

Re:Galley slave would want to be toward the hull

[colinrichardday]

Oh sure, drag facts and logic into Slashdot.