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Romans, like most societies, were very protective of their social order, and ignored or suppressed most inventions that might threaten it.
by jwhitlark 10y ago
Romans, like most societies, were very protective of their social order, and ignored or suppressed most inventions that might threaten it.
- soufron 10y agoThey were so protective of their social order that they kept killing each others...
- jwhitlark 10y agoKilling was a large part of their social order.
- h4nkoslo 10y agoIs there any evidence of the Romans engaging in Amish-style quashing of an invention for social stability purposes? Even aside from "commercial" innovations in eg textiles, something like Newcomen or Watt's steam-driven pump that let them run their gold mines more profitably, or easier manufacture of military metal goods, would have been of intense interest to the state.
- jwhitlark 10y agoAmish-style quashing would be putting it too strongly. There are a number of advancements that were discovered and not utilized, or utilized in a very limited and particular manner. http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-greek-and-roman-technology-from-catapult-to-the-pantheon.html http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/understanding-greek-a... Is a good starting place for an overview. Slave revolt or rising lower classes were one of the greatest concerns to Roman elites. Broad social stability seems to have been of greater interest to the state then momentary technical advantage. Organization and discipline were the advantages they tended to rely on.
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