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Hero Of Byzantium
Hero of Byzantium (), also Heron of Byzantium or sometimes Hero the Younger, is a name used to refer to the anonymous Byzantine author of two treatises, commonly known as ''Parangelmata Poliorcetica'' and ''Geodesia'', composed in the mid-10th century and found in an 11th-century manuscript in the Vatican Library (Vaticanus graecus 1605). The first is a poliorketikon, an illustrated manual of siegecraft; the second is a work in practical geometry and ballistics, which makes use of locations around Constantinople to illustrate its points. The manuscript consists of 58 folios and 38 colored illustrations. Following a seventh-century defeat by the Arabs in the east and the Germanic and Slavic powers in the west, the Byzantine Empire found itself gutted of much of its territory and needed to re-establish its military excellence. "Recent research has suggested that the empire first survived, and later expanded, by retaining and adapting military theories and practices from late antiqui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palisade
A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymology ''Palisade'' derives from ''pale'', from the Latin word ', meaning stake, specifically when used side by side to create a wood defensive wall. In turn, ''pālus'' derives from the Old Italic word ''palūts'', which may possibly derive from the Proto-Indo-European word ''pelh'', meaning pale or gray. It may be related to the Proto-Uralic word ''pil'me'' (uncertain meaning) or the word ''pilwe'', meaning cloud. (see wikt:pale#Etymology_2, 'pale', English: Etymology 2 on Wiktionary). Typical construction Typical construction consisted of small or mid-sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with as little free space in between as possible. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were driven into the ground and sometimes rein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Medieval Greek Military Writers
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and transitioned into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: classical antiquity, the medieval period, and the modern period. The medieval period is itself subdivided into the Early Middle Ages, Early, High Middle Ages, High, and Late Middle Ages. Population decline, counterurbanisation, the collapse of centralised authority, invasions, and mass migrations of tribes, which had begun in late antiquity, continued into the Early Middle Ages. The large-scale movements of the Migration Period, including various Germanic peoples, formed new kingdoms in what remained of the Western Roman Empire. In the 7th century, North Africa and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
10th-century Byzantine Writers
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sports, where it commonly denotes the first, leading, or top thing in a group. 1 is the unit of counting or measurement, a determiner for singular nouns, and a gender-neutral pronoun. Historically, the representation of 1 evolved from ancient Sumerian and Babylonian symbols to the modern Arabic numeral. In mathematics, 1 is the multiplicative identity, meaning that any number multiplied by 1 equals the same number. 1 is by convention not considered a prime number. In digital technology, 1 represents the "on" state in binary code, the foundation of computing. Philosophically, 1 symbolizes the ultimate reality or source of existence in various traditions. In mathematics The number 1 is the first natural number after 0. Each natural number, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dioptra
A dioptra (sometimes also named dioptre or diopter, from ) is a classical astronomical and surveying instrument, dating from the 3rd century BC. The dioptra was a sighting tube or, alternatively, a rod with a sight at both ends, attached to a stand. If fitted with protractors, it could be used to measure angles. Use Greek astronomers used the dioptra to measure the positions of stars; both Euclid and Geminus refer to the dioptra in their astronomical works. It continued in use as an effective surveying tool. Adapted to surveying, the dioptra is similar to the theodolite, or surveyor's transit, which dates to the sixteenth century. It is a more accurate version of the groma. There is some speculation that it may have been used to build the Eupalinian aqueduct. Called "one of the greatest engineering achievements of ancient times," it is a tunnel long, excavated through a mountain on the Greek island of Samos during the reign of Polycrates in the sixth century B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geodesy
Geodesy or geodetics is the science of measuring and representing the Figure of the Earth, geometry, Gravity of Earth, gravity, and Earth's rotation, spatial orientation of the Earth in Relative change, temporally varying Three-dimensional space, 3D. It is called planetary geodesy when studying other astronomical body, astronomical bodies, such as planets or Natural satellite, circumplanetary systems. Geodynamics, Geodynamical phenomena, including crust (geology), crustal motion, tides, and polar motion, can be studied by designing global and national Geodetic control network, control networks, applying space geodesy and terrestrial geodetic techniques, and relying on Geodetic datum, datums and coordinate systems. Geodetic job titles include geodesist and geodetic surveyor. History Geodesy began in pre-scientific Classical antiquity, antiquity, so the very word geodesy comes from the Ancient Greek word or ''geodaisia'' (literally, "division of Earth"). Early ideas about t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biton (writer)
Biton of Pergamon () was an ancient Greek writer and engineer, who lived in the second or third century BC. Only two of his works are known: a lost book on optics, entitled ''Optics'', and an extant short treatise on siege machines, ''Construction of War Machines and Catapults'' (). Simon Hornblower, "Biton", in Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth (eds.), ''The Oxford Classical Dictionary'', 3rd rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2005). The Greek may be transliterated ''Kataskeuai polemikon organon kai katapaltikon''. The military treatise is dedicated to a king named Attalus (), evidently a king of Pergamon, either Attalus I (241–197) or Attalus II (159–38). Some scholars have suggested, based on internal evidence, that the text should date to 156–55.Francesco Fiorucci, "Biton of Pergamon", in Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion and Andrew Erskine (eds.), ''The Encyclopedia of Ancient History'' (Wiley, 2013), pp. 1140–41. His translation of Biton's tit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philo Of Byzantium
Philo of Byzantium (, ''Phílōn ho Byzántios'', ), also known as Philo Mechanicus (Latin for "Philo the Engineer"), was a Greek engineer, physicist and writer on mechanics, who lived during the latter half of the 3rd century BC. Although he was from Byzantium he lived most of his life in Alexandria, Egypt. He was probably younger than Ctesibius, though some place him a century earlier. Works Philo was the author of a large work, the ''Syntaxis'' (, ''Mēkhanikḗ Sýntaxē''), which contained the following sections: * Isagoge (, ''Eisagōgḗ'') – Introduction (general mathematics) * Mochlica (, ''Mokhliká'') – Leverage (mechanics) * Limenopoeica (, ''Limenopoiiká'') – Harbour Construction * Belopoeica (, ''Belopoiiká'') – Siege Engine Construction * Pneumatica (, ''Pneumatiká'') – Pneumatics * Automatopoeica (, ''Automatopoiētiká'') – Automatons (mechanical toys and diversions) * Parasceuastica (, ''Paraskeuastiká'') – Preparations (for sieges) * Poli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Athenaeus Mechanicus
Athenaeus Mechanicus is the author of a book on siegecraft, ''On Machines'' (). He is identified by modern scholars with Athenaeus of Seleucia, a member of the Peripatetic school active in the mid-to-late 1st century BC, at Rome and elsewhere.Serafina Cuomo, review of Gatto 2010Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2010.11.35/ref>Duncan B. Campbell, review of Whitehead and Blyth 2004/ref> Life Strabo mentions a contemporary of his, Athenaeus of Seleucia, a Peripatetic philosopher. He was for some time the leading demagogue in his native city, but afterwards came to Rome and became acquainted with Lucius Licinius Varro Murena. On the discovery of the plot which the latter, with Fannius Caepio, had entered into against Augustus, Athenaeus accompanied him in his flight. He was retaken, but pardoned by Augustus, as there was no evidence of his having taken a more active part in the plot.William Smith (lexicographer), William Smith, ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', p. . ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boring (manufacturing)
In machining, boring is the process of enlarging a hole that has already been drilled (or casting, cast) by means of a Tool bit, single-point cutting tool (or of a boring head containing several such tools), such as in boring a gun barrel or an cylinder (engine), engine cylinder. Boring is used to achieve greater accuracy of the diameter of a hole, and can be used to cut a tapered hole. Boring can be viewed as the internal-diameter counterpart to turning, which cuts external diameters. There are various types of boring. The boring bar may be supported on both ends (which only works if the existing hole is a through hole), or it may be supported at one end (which works for both, through holes and blind holes). Lineboring (line boring, line-boring) implies the former. Backboring (back boring, back-boring) is the process of reaching through an existing hole and then boring on the "back" side of the workpiece (relative to the machine headstock). Because of the limitatio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auger (drill)
An auger is a device to drill wood or other materials, consisting of a rotating metal shaft with a blade at the end that scrapes or cuts the wood. Types The classical design has a helical screw blade winding around the bottom end of the shaft. The lower edge of the blade is sharpened and scrapes the wood; the rest of the blade lifts the chips out of the way. It is powered with two hands, by a T-shaped handle attached to the top of the shaft. More modern versions have elaborated auger bits with multiple blades in various positions. Modern versions also have different means to drive the shaft, resulting in various tools such as braces, wheel drills (the "eggbeater" drill), and power drills. See also * Augerino * Gimlet References External links * {{Garden tools Agricultural machinery Gardening tools Mechanical hand tools ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battering Ram
A battering ram is a siege engine that originated in ancient times and was designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates. In its simplest form, a battering ram is just a large, heavy log carried by several people and propelled with force against an obstacle; the ram would be sufficient to damage the target if the log were massive enough and/or it were moved quickly enough (that is, if it had enough momentum). Later rams encased the log in an arrow-proof, fire-resistant canopy mounted on wheels. Inside the canopy, the log was swung from suspensory chains or ropes. Rams proved effective weapons of war because at the time wall-building materials such as stone and brick were weak in tension, and therefore prone to cracking when impacted with force. With repeated blows, the cracks would grow steadily until a hole was created. Eventually, a breach would appear in the fabric of the wall, enabling armed attackers to force their way thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
