Machines through the Ages

“. . . with the lighter catapults, which had a long range, he drove back those who were constructing the wall along the harbour, and with the ballistae he shook or destroyed the engines of the enemy.”—Diodorus Siculus, Greek historian, first century BCE

“Round their circumference are fixed paddles, which, when acted upon by the force of the current, drive the wheel round, receive the water in the buckets, and carry it to the top.”—Marcus Vitruvius, On Architecture, first century BCE

Using only six simple machines, ancient civilizations around the world made complex devices to tell time, change the landscape, and move heavy loads. Many of these ancient machines have stood the test of time and remain in use today.

The Ancient Egyptians utilized wedges to break apart heavy stones for pyramids that have lasted thousands of years. The Ancient Chinese invented the wooden ox, now known as the wheelbarrow, by combining a lever and a wheel and axle. The Ancient Inca used inclined planes to move the stone blocks that built Machu Picchu. Around the world, humans have used machines to improve their lives and change the world around them.

From the potter’s wheel to the deadly Claws of Archimedes, discover the secrets of ancient machines and how they have improved life throughout history.