‘Greece: the cradle of Western civilization’, ‘Greece: home of the original Olympic games’, ‘Athens: the birthplace of democracy’, are just some of the quotes and phrases you have probably heard about the contribution of ancient Greece to the world.
In fact, this is just scratching the surface of what those restless and inquisitive minds living in that rugged strip of land in the eastern Mediterranean came up with.
There are many useful inventions that have ancient Greek origins, and the best part is; they are still being used today.
Today, some of the Greek inventions are being used in our daily lives, whereas others are used by the professionals in their respective fields – but, their findings in the area of astronomy, mathematics, and geography have actually pioneered the age of science.
In short, by being the father of science, or the father of zoology or the father of medicine, Greece has contributed significantly to the modern world discoveries and inventions.
It’s time to take a glance at them.
Below are some of the interesting and amazing inventions that reflect their contribution in the best possible way. These inventions have been mentioned in no particular order.
1. Olympics
The first record of the Olympics being played was on the big and wide plains of Olympia in ancient Greece in 776 B.C.
2. Astrolabe
The astrolabe is one of the significant ancient Greece inventions. It is an instrument used to make astronomical measurements like altitudes of celestial bodies.
3. Theatre
The ancient Greeks not only invented theatres but also created multiple genres like tragedy, comedy and the satirical ones.
4. Water Clock
The water clock, known as Clepsydra was introduced by ancient Greek around the year 325 BC.
5. Greek Fire
Greek fire is considered to be one of the history’s best-kept military secrets which came into existence in the 7th century. The major reason behind this creation was protecting Constantinople from Arabs.
6. Levers
The credit for impressive constructions of the ancient era goes to the lever. Invented by the Greek mathematician Archimedes in 260 BC, it used the pulley system to lift heavier objects.
7. Crane
The archeological discoveries state that in the late 6th century BC, use of tongs and lewis irons appeared on stone blocks of Greek temples.
8. Water Mill
It was invented in around the 3rd Century BC and Philo of Byzantium made the earliest known reference of it in his works, the Pneumatica and Parasceuastica.
9. Archimedes Screw
As the name says, Archimedes Screw was invented by the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes in order to remove water from the hold of a large ship. It has a tube looped around a rod, set at an angle with the bottom end in water.
10. Catapult
The catapult was introduced in Greece by Dionysius the Elder of Syracuse in 399 BC.
source interestingengineering.com
