4 - The theory and practice of ancient Greek mechanics

Summary

It is a commonplace that the Hellenistic period was a time of great productivity in the sciences. The patronage of the court of the Ptolemies made Alexandria in particular a centre for work in many fields, including medicine, mathematics, mechanics and astronomy. Many scientific and philosophical texts from the period are lost or survive only in part; the dates of many key figures are unknown. Nonetheless, there is evidence of much work in mechanics – theory and practice – in the post-Aristotelian period. Some texts have survived that attempt to unify, analyse and explain the techniques of mechanics. There are reports of devices involving valves, pistons and pumps, water-lifting screws, water organs, catapults, steam devices, pneumatic toys and display pieces, theatrical automata and planetary models. Archaeological finds have also yielded some physical evidence of the technology available and indicate that the sophistication of the technology exceeds that described in the surviving literary evidence. Despite much uncertainty and questionable evidence, it is clear that engineering advanced considerably, particularly during the Hellenistic period; there were also attempts to develop theories to explain the operation of mechanical devices.

There is some uncertainty about the extent to which scientific ideas filtered through to the Athenian philosophical schools during the Hellenistic period. Athens continued to be the philosophical centre for more than two centuries following Aristotle's death, spatially separated from the major hub of the natural sciences in Egypt. Philosophers during this period seem to have increasingly turned away from natural philosophy to other topics.