Premise: Representing and Measuring the Environment -- A premise: it all started with a drawing -- I.1 Elevations, Plan and Sections -- I.2 Protohistoric Drafting machine for the clay tablets engraving -- I.3 Examples of planimetries from the IV millennium B.C. to the I century A.D. -- I.4 Ancient Units -- 1. Measuring Mass -- Introduction -- 1.1 The balance scale -- 1.2 The steelyard balance -- Observations -- 2 Measuring Distance and Slope -- Introduction -- 2.1 Jacob’s staff -- 2.2 Range finders -- 2.3 The Astrolabe -- 2.4 The dioptre by Heron -- 2.5 The ancient odometers -- Observations -- Measuring a building height by an astrolabe -- Measuring the distances by the groma and by the surveyor’s cross -- 3 Measuring Time -- Introduction -- 3.1 The sundial -- 3.2 Water clocks -- Observations -- 4 Orientation -- Introduction -- 4.1 The Sundial Compass -- 4.2 The Chinese South-Pointing Chariot Sundial Compass -- 4.3 The Windrose and the Magnetic Compass -- 5 Ancient Computation Devices -- Introduction -- 5.1 The Abacus -- 5.2 The Mesolabio -- 5.3 The Mechanism of Antikitera -- Observations -- 6 The Natural Energy Used In Antiquity -- Introduction -- 6.1 Energy from man -- 6.2 Energy from animals -- 6.3 The capstan -- 6.4 The treadwheel -- 6.5 Rough evaluation of the power from a wind motor -- 6.6 Rough evaluation of the power from a waterwheel -- 7 Wind Motors -- Introduction -- 7.1 The wind mills -- 7.2 Wings on the sea: the sails -- 7.3.3 The Flettner rotor -- Observations -- 8 Hydraulic Motors -- Introduction -- 8.1 Water wheels with vertical axis -- 8.2 Water wheels with horizontal axis -- 8.3 The floating mill -- 8.4 Water wheels in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance -- Observations -- 9 Refrigeration and Heating -- 9.1 Air Cooling with Wind Towers -- 9.2 The production of ice -- 9.3 Nero’s Sherbet -- 9.3 Wheat Pits -- 9.4 Heating and Thermal Baths -- 9.5 Energy Saving: the Sun Chimney Heating and Thermal Baths -- 10 The Production Of Water -- 10.1 The Air Well -- 10.2 The Dew Basin -- 10.3 The Qanat -- 10.4 Distillation -- 11 Lifting Water -- Introduction -- 11.1 The early devices -- 11.2 The Archimedes’ screw -- 11.3 Norias -- 11.4 Pumps -- Observations -- 12 Adduction and Distribution of Water -- Introduction -- 12.1 Open ducts -- 12.2 Penstocks -- 12.3 The great cisterns -- 12.4 Water distribution systems -- 12.5 Pipes -- 12.6 Valves -- 12.7 Hydraulic mining -- Observations -- 13 Underwater Activities -- Introduction -- 13.1 Scuba divers -- 13.2 Diving bell -- 14 Transports -- Introduction -- 14.1 Roman charts -- 14.2 Railed cargo -- 14.3 The rails of Pompei -- 14.4 Ancient self-propelled vehicles -- 14.5 Early ball bearings -- 14.6 Transport on water -- 14.7 Cableways -- 14.10 The dawn of the flight in the antiquity -- Observations -- 15 Telecommunications -- Introduction -- 15.1 Acoustic -- 15.2 Carrier pigeons -- 15.3 Optical telecommunication systems -- 15.4 Lighthouses -- 15.5 The water telegraph -- Observations -- 16 Medicine and Health -- Introduction -- 16.1 Medical Assistance provided to Legionnaires -- 16.2 Reconstructive Plastic Surgery -- 16.3 Early Penicillin -- 16.4 The Beginning of Biological Warfare -- 17 Secondary Motors -- Introduction -- 17.1 Cranes and tackle -- 17.2 Gravity driven elevators -- 17.3 Siege towers -- 17.4 The trebuchet -- 17.5 Flexion elastic motors -- 17.6 Torsion elastic motors -- 17.7 Throwing machines operated by torsion motors -- 17.8 Mechanics of the throwing machines -- 17.9 Pneumatic motors -- 17.10 Small spring motors -- 17.11 Ancient steam engines -- Observations -- 18 Spinnind and Weaving -- Introduction -- 18.1 The dawn of spinning and weaving -- 18.2 The spinning wheel -- 18.3 The mechanical spinning -- 18.4 The automatic weaving -- Observations -- 19 Some Applications of Fire -- Introduction -- 19.1 Fire ignition -- 19.1.2 Optical flints -- 19.2 Marine fire – the Roman candle -- 19.3 Wind lanterns -- 19.4 Fire for warming -- 19.5 Fire for warfare -- 19.6 Th protection from fire: asbestos -- 20 Automata (Towards automation and robots) -- Introduction -- 20.1 The Hellenistic Age -- 20.2 The Middle Ages -- 20.3 The Renaissance -- 20.4 The XVIII Century -- 20.5 The XIX Century -- 20.6 Automata of the Far East -- 20.7 Between the two millenniums -- Observations -- 21 Some Ancient Building Techniques -- Introduction -- 21.1 Stone buildings -- 21.2 Concrete Buildings -- 21.3 Considerations on the polygonal work -- 21.4 Earthquake-resistant buildings with wooden ribs -- 21.5 Seismic isolators -- 21.6 Consideration on ancient concrete -- Subject Index. .