Understanding Greek and Roman Technology: From Catapult to the Pantheon

by Stephen Ressler

Famed for great thinkers, poets, artists, and leaders, ancient Greece and Rome were also home to some of the most creative engineers who ever lived. Water systems, roads, pumps, and many other developments grew out of the same conditions that produced new political institutions, stunning sculptures, outstanding literary works, and empires that constituted much of the known world. Yet the engineering exploits of the Greeks and Romans are not as celebrated as they deserve to be, and they have been long discounted by some historians. New discoveries combined with a reevaluation of evidence show just how clever our ancient ancestors were. In 24 lavishly illustrated lectures, Understanding Greek and Roman Technology: From Catapult to the Pantheon gives you an in-depth appreciation for what the Greeks and Romans achieved and how they did it. Your guide is Dr. Stephen Ressler, a former professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, a civil engineer, and a nationally honored leader in engineering education. This a fascinating introduction to basic engineering principles and the science behind them. The course also gives a new perspective on one of the most productive periods in the history of civilization: classical antiquity. In case after case, you will find that engineering solutions reached during this era would not be surpassed for another thousand years or more.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook

CD-ROM

Published January 1, 2014

About the author

Stephen Ressler is a Professor Emeritus from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he taught for 21 years. He holds an MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and is a registered professional engineer in Virginia. He served in a variety of military engineering assignments in the United States, Europe, and Central Asia. He has focused his scholarly and professional work on engineering education and has won numerous national awards for engineering education and service.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This "Book" is actually a Great Course and MUST be watched –PERIOD! This is by far one of the best Great Courses out there. I watched all 24 lectures on Amazon Prime by Subscribing to Great Courses for $10 a month, which I think is highly worth it! There's probably a free trial.

Prof. Ressler is also an army colonel and teaches at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He obviously loves his job and is excellent at it. For every lecture, he actually builds a model in miniature of whatever Greek or Roman technology he is showcasing; be it lifting devices, catapults, Roman roads, pumps, or the Greek trireme ship. Prof. Ressler has been to most of the sites personally and he and his students bring to life some of the little things that the average person might never notice; inscriptions that lend a human touch to some of the most awesome ancient builds. The courses is full of pictures, displays, applications/labs, and devices to represent specific physical elements – such as different materials' strengths. Every episode is fascinating in its own right and if you have any interest at all in how the Greeks and Romans built and conquered their way across the known world, I highly, HIGHLY RECOMMEND this course!

[Marcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must if you are interested in engineering and history. You won't be disappointed. On top of providing up to date information, Prof. Ressler is as geeky as it gets when it comes to experimenting in the classroom. His exposition of the Greek trireme was particularly interesting for me as I had recently been watching videos about the Olympias (the only modern attempt at reconstructing those ships) and this lecture provided me with a plethora of insightful details that are not even mentioned in run-of-the-mill documentaries. Actually, the latter applies to most lectures in this course. Fascinating.

[Enrico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic course giving so many insights into the technology of the ancient world and just how advanced it really was. The professor tells you everything about Roman concrete, ancient construction cranes and generally just how everything was built with experiments serving as demonstrations of most of the principles used.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic lectures on Ancient Greek and Roman engineering. Too bad so much is gone or in ruins. But so lucky that so much remains