Good point regarding tooling, metal, and tolerances. But in this hypothetical timeline they would’ve hand-made the first leaky and inefficient engine if someon

Good point regarding tooling, metal, and tolerances. But in this hypothetical timeline they would’ve hand-made the first leaky and inefficient engine if someone with some clout had the idea for a piston back then. These people didn’t blink at moving mountains to build burial crypts, so it’s conceivable that they might’ve experimented with steam if that notion struck, say, the pharaoh.