A kind of ancient crane, it had a metal grappling hook at the end of it, could reach over city walls, grab enemy Roman ships, and destroy them on the rocks. The Claw of Archimedes was reportedly used in defense of Syracuse - although no one knows exactly how it looked. When the load hovered over the ship, the rope was cut so that it would fall and cause substantial damage.Ī similar invention was the Claw of Archimedes, also known as the Iron Hand. As an enemy ship approached the wall, operators of the device released the winch, enabling the load to pass over the wall by rotating the balance beam. a large stone) and it was suspended by a rope at the other end. Consisting of a rotating beam that sat on a platform, it had a counterweight at one end (i.e. One of the most famous machines invented by Archimedes and used against Roman ships during the siege of the city was the stone throwing crane. These weapons were used in battle and enabled Syracuse to hold out against Rome for about three years. He fortified the city walls with military contraptions such as catapults and ballistas, which could fire projectiles long distances and attack enemy ships.

Developer Plans to Use Ancient Technology to Harness HydropowerĪrchimedes helped repel the Romans with his brilliant inventions.

More than fifty ancient Greek inventions brought to life through incredible reconstructions.

Cicero and the Forgotten Tomb of Archimedes.

Not long after this, the Roman army sailed to Syracuse with the intention of destroying the city. In 214 BC, pro-Carthaginian factions within the city sided with Carthage against Rome. Situated between Rome and Carthage during the Punic wars (264 BC to 146 BC), Syracuse proved to be in the way of Roman expansion. ( Public Domain ) War Comes to Syracuse and Archimedes' Inventions Help Protect the City It is also used to lift loose materials, such as grains. Today, the Archimedes screw is still in use as a method of irrigation in developing countries. When the lower end of the tube is placed in the hull and the handle turned, water is carried up the tube. The machine consists of a hollow tube with a spiral that can be turned by a handle at one end. Originally developed by the ancient Egyptians, it was a device used to raise water from a lower to higher level. ( Public Domain ) The Archimedes ScrewĪrchimedes is best known for his inventions created during the reign of King Hiero II, such as the Archimedes screw.

It was due to his relationship with the king, and his son Gelon, that Archimedes achieved fame.Įngraving of Archimedes (1584). The ancient Greek biographer, Plutarch, mentions that while in Syracuse, Archimedes offered his services to King Hiero II. In the third century BC, Syracuse was a hub of commerce, art, and science. Alexandria is where Archimedes studied with disciples of Euclid, a famous Greek mathematician, before he returned to Syracuse for the remainder of his life. Very little is known about his family, early life, and schooling other than that he was educated in Alexandria, Egypt - the chief center of Greek learning at that time. The Life of Archimedes: Syracuse and Alexandriaīorn in Syracuse on the island of Sicily in 287 BC, Archimedes was the son of an astronomer and mathematician named Phidias.

He also designed devices to be used in warfare such as the catapult, the iron hand, and the death ray. The father of simple machines, he introduced the concept of the lever and the compound pulley, as well as inventions ranging from water clocks to the famous Archimedes screw. Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, scientist, mechanical engineer, and inventor who is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of the ancient world.

Who was archimedes