https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/tech/ancient-antikythera-computer.html
The Antikythera Mechanism, discovered in 1901 on a Roman-era shipwreck in Greece, has perplexed computer experts for centuries. This hand-powered instrument was a remarkable time-keeping device, using a wing-up system to track the sun and planets meticulously. This ancient marvel also functioned as a calendar, accurately monitoring the phases of the moon and eclipses.
This would make a good plot for an alternative history novel - a world in which Rome never went Chrisian, never fell and continued progressing. Would we be a few centuries ahead in technology without the Dark Ages holding Europe back?
ReplyDelete(There was a Star Trek episode where they explored this but only superficially)