Technology and Culture in Greek and Roman Antiquity

This book uses five case-studies to set ancient technical knowledge in its political, social and intellectual context.

S. Cuomo (Author)

9780521009034, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 2 August 2007

226 pages, 8 b/w illus.
22.5 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.368 kg

'Technology and Culture in Greek and Roman Antiquity reads like the dream assignment for every scholar … and seems like the sort of luxury very few academics have the time or funding to research and publish nowadays.' De novis libris iudicia

The technological achievements of the Greeks and Romans continue to fascinate and excite admiration. But what was the place of technology in their cultures? Through five case-studies, this book sets ancient technical knowledge in its political, social and intellectual context. It explores the definition of the techne of medicine in classical Athens, the development of new military technology in Hellenistic times, the self-image of technicians through funerary art in the early Roman Empire, the resolution of boundary disputes in the early second century AD, and the status of architecture and architects in late antiquity. Deploying a wide range of evidence, it reconstructs a dialectic picture of ancient technology, where several ancient points of view are described and analyzed, and their interaction examined. Dr Cuomo argues for the centrality of technology to the ancient world-picture, and for its extraordinarily rich political, social, economic and religious significance.

Introduction
1. The definition of techne in classical Athens
2. The Hellenistic military revolution
3. Death and the craftsman
4. Boundary disputes in the Roman Empire
5. Architects of late antiquity
Epilogue.

Subject Areas: History of engineering & technology [TBX], Impact of science & technology on society [PDR], Classical Greek & Roman archaeology [HDDK], Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]