4 ms·
Another early advanced weapons technology is Greek Fire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire), the exact compositi
by Jun8 11y ago
Another early advanced weapons technology is Greek Fire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire), the exact composition of which is still being debated. Water intensified the flames when it was used in naval battles.
- agumonkey 11y agoThe management and level of secrecy around the technology is impressively "modern". Or maybe we're not that modern.
- danharaj 11y agoA core impulse of modernity is to separate itself from everything that came before.
- agumonkey 11y agoNicely put.
- prodmerc 11y agoEh, anything related directly to humans has been done before. Computers, internal combustion, electricity and medicine are the only major advances we've got over those living 1000 years ago...
- crpatino 11y agoI suppose if I go with the spirit of your statement, it is possible to argue that both computers and medicine were done in some form or another for the last 5 thousand years (think abacus, folk herbalism, etc). It is just that we have figured out how to leverage greater resources (including information) to do those in a much more effective way. On the other hand, the combination of embodied knowledge and chemical energy to create machines, i.e. the internal combustion engine, is a truly novel achievement of our civilization.
- ZanyProgrammer 11y agoThat's a rather big "only".
- prodmerc 11y agoI mean, we could live fine without them. I forgot all the advances in agriculture, which is arguably more important...
- Blackthorn 11y agoModern agriculture depends on literally all of those things you listed (medicine if you're being liberal with the definition).
- eru 11y agoThey invented/adopted a bunch of agricultural things in the agricultural revolution. That was between the 1000 years ago mentioned and the invention of the internal combustion engine, electricity etc. Like a better plow, using legumes to replenish nutrients, etc.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- InclinedPlane 11y agoAnd science, et al. These aren't exactly small things, these are the things of eon defining boundaries. Human beings may be fundamentally made of the same things, our physical and emotional machinery may be largely unchanged. But how we live is hugely different.
- eru 11y ago> Computers, internal combustion, electricity and medicine are the only major advances we've got over those living 1000 years ago... What about external combustion engines? Also, read about agricultural and industrial revolution.
- swimfar 11y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolipile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolipile Although it seems that it may never have been used for any practical purpose, it is often considered to be the first steam engine and was documented in the 1st century AD.
- eru 11y agoYes, they had some nifty toys. Modern steam engines took off because they managed to make accurate pistons and cylinders. (And a myriad other factors.)
- arethuza 11y agoVitrified forts are another puzzling one - ancient fortresses where the stones in the walls have been subjected to enough heat to make them melt together - whether this was done on purpose or by accident or by enemy action is unknown: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitrified_fort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitrified_fort NB As a kid the impressive vitrified fort on the Tap o' Noth was by basis for imagining what Tolkien's Weathertop looked like.
- slg 11y agoAlthough that misses the main facet of the nuclear weapon analogy. The Hellburner was a hugely destructive weapon that was only used once and wasn't particularly strategically effective. However the fear of that weapon was enough to intimidate and alter the opposing sides strategy in order to avoid it being used against them. Greek Fire was a weapon that was both used more frequently and used to greater effect.
- dmix 11y agoYou can see a replica Greek Fire flame thrower in action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pSr8fQa9mA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pSr8fQa9mA