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1. Representing and measuring the environment -- Elevations, plan and sections -- Protohistoric drafting machine for the clay tablets engraving -- 2. Measuring mass -- The balance scale -- The steelyard balance -- 3. Measuring distance and slope -- Jacob's staff -- Range finders -- Groma -- Surveyor's cross -- Chorobate -- The astrolabe -- THe Dioptre by Heron -- Odometer by Vitruvius -- Odometer by Heron -- 4. Measuring time -- The sundial -- Water clocks -- 5. Orientation -- The sundial compass -- The Chinese south-pointing chariot -- The windrose and the magnetic compass -- 6, Ancient computation devices -- The abacus -- The mesolabio -- Eratosthenes -- The solution by Hippocrates and the mesolabio by Dürer -- The mechanism of Antikitera -- Planetariums in ancient literature -- 7. The natural energy used in antiquity -- Energy from man -- Energy from animals -- The capstan -- The treadwheel -- 8. Wind motors -- The wind mills -- The Afghan mill -- The Cretan mill -- Wings on the sea : the sails -- Sail rig -- The Chinese junk -- The Flettner rotor -- 9. Hydraulic motors -- Water wheels with vertical axis -- The Greek mill -- Water wheels with horizontal axis -- The floating mill -- Water wheels in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance -- 10. Refrigeration and heating -- Wind towers -- Production of ice -- Nero's sherbet -- Wheat pits -- Heating and thermal baths -- Energy saving : the sun chimney heating and thermal baths -- 11. The production of water -- The air well -- The dew basin -- The qanat -- Distillation -- 12. Lifting water -- Archimedes' screw -- Norias -- Scoop wheel -- Chain norias -- Chain pumps -- Reciprocating pumps -- 13. Adduction and distribution of water -- Open ducts -- Penstocks -- The great cisterns -- The Piscina Mirabilis at Miseno -- Piezometric turrets -- Pipes -- Valves -- Hydraulic mining -- The technique of "ruina montium" -- 14. Underwater activities -- Scuba divers -- Diving bell -- 15. Transports -- Roman charts -- Horse shoeing -- Railed cargo -- The rails of Pompeii -- Ancient self-propelled vehicles -- Hero of Alexandria -- Giovanni Fontana -- Francesco Di Giorgio Martini -- Leonardo Da Vinci -- Early ball bearings -- Transport by water -- Paddle wheeled boats -- Pneumatic boats -- Cableways -- The dawn of the flight in the antiquity -- Legends and tales -- Ancient Egypt -- Ancient Greece and Hellenic civilization -- The Middle Ages -- The Renaissance -- Ancient rockets --

16. Telecommunications -- Acoustic -- Carrier pigeons -- Optical telecommunications systems -- Image modification -- Brilliancy modification -- LIghthouses -- The water telegraph -- 17. Medicine and health -- Medical assistance provided by Legionaries -- Reconstructive plastic surgery -- Early penicillin -- Beginning of biological warfare -- 18. Secondary motors -- Cranes and tackle -- Gravity driven elevators -- Siege towers -- The trebuchet -- Flexion elastic motors -- Torsion elastic motors -- Throwing machines operated by torsion motors -- The ballista -- The catapult -- The onager -- The cheiroballistra -- Mechanics of the throwing machines -- Pneumatic motors -- Small spring motors -- Ancient steam engines -- Heron's steam turbine -- The architronitro -- 19. Spinning and weaving -- The spinning wheel -- Mechanical spinning -- The spinning jenny -- The spinning frame by Arkwright -- The mule by Crompton -- The ring frame -- Automatic weaving -- Programmable looms -- Automatic loom -- 20. Some applications of the fire -- Fire ignition -- Optical flints -- Marine fire : the roman candle -- Wind lanterns -- Fire for warming -- Domestic heating -- Thermal heating systems -- Ancient samovar -- Fire for warfare -- Burning mirrors -- Flamethrowers -- Incendiary projectiles -- Protection from fire : asbestos -- 21. Automata (automation and robots) -- The Hellenist Age -- Heron of Alexandria -- The Roman Empire : the repeating catapult -- The Middle Ages -- Al Jazari and the Arabs -- The astronomic clock of Strasbourg -- The Renaissance -- The 18th century -- The 19th century -- Automata of the Far East -- 22. Some ancient building techniques -- Stone buildings -- Opus siliceum : opus poligonalis -- Opus quadratum -- Concrete buildings -- Opus caementitium -- Opus incertum -- Opus quasi reticulatum -- Opus reticulatum -- Opus latericium -- Opus spicatum -- Opus mixtum -- Opus vittatum : opus listatum -- considerations on the polygonal work -- Construction criteria -- Theories on the reasons for polygonal work -- Polygonal bridges -- Earthquake-resistant buildings with wooden ribs -- Seismic isolators.

This book describes inventions and designs of engineers from 300 B.C. to 1600 A.D., with a handful of exceptions from before and after. The inventions are documented by archaeological finds and range from those very well known to some hardly known at all.