The World of Ancient Greek Engineering

Over 2 millennia ago, Ancient Greece was one the most prominent civilisations in the world. From influencing the architecture of famous buildings such as the British Museum to inventing the core elements of theatre which are still present in the films and shows we binge, its impact on modern-day culture remains ubiquitous. In particular, engineering was abundant during this period, laying out the blueprints for the technology that eases our lives.[1][2]

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As human culture developed, there became a need to track the time of day. Farmers would need this information to be able to plant their crops at the best possible time to ensure a sufficient harvest, and the lengths of workdays and markets needed to be scheduled. Hence, people attempted to capture the period of the day.[3] Some of the earliest known versions of timekeeping devices can be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians. Dating back to around 3500 BCE, the gnomon was a pillar that was used to cast a shadow, its length indicating the time of day. This tool is also the origin of the 12-hour clock system, having 12 different intervals carved into its base.[4]

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The Ancient Greeks, pioneers in the field of geometry, were able to expand upon this idea, providing a wide variety of sundial designs. A salient model was the hemispherical sundial, created by Aristarchus of Samos, a key figure in astronomy who was the first to place the Sun in the centre of the universe. He built upon the gnomon by cutting a hemispherical hole in a block and fixing a pointer in its centre. This allowed the shadow cast to take a circular path. This variant of the sundial went on to be used for centuries after the collapse of Ancient Greece, with evidence of it being used within Islamic countries towards the end of the first millennium. While they did not invent it, their ideas are still present in the clocks that are hung on our walls.[5][4]

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One tool that was invented by an Ancient Greek was Archimedes’ screw. A hydraulic machine, believed to be created by Archimedes of Syracuse, it consists of a helix that is used to push water up a metal cylinder. An important iteration of this mechanism has it sloped at about an angle of 45 degrees in the water. Initially, it was invented to get rid of water from the cargo hold of a ship; it has been repurposed for the decontamination of sewage and water. The helical shape of the screw allows for the smooth removal of any debris.[6]

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Computers, in modern times, are essential to making any kind of progress in society. Whether it is education, work, communication, or even shopping, it is impossible to go a day without the need for a device in the digital era. While we can thank the physicists and engineers of the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania for inventing the ENIAC, the first electronic computer, to calculate artillery firing tables, the earliest relic that was specifically designed for storing and processing data can be traced back to around 100 BCE.[7][8]

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Uncovered from a shipwreck in 1901 in the Mediterranean Sea near the island of Antikythera, the shockingly intricate composition of the Antikythera mechanism shared more similarities with late medieval clocks rather than other technology of its time. It was an amalgam of bronze gears that seemed to be used for analysing celestial bodies and lunations. Due to the ruined condition of the mechanism, scholars have argued about the initial purpose of it. Some argue that the pointers of the face were used to display the positions of the Sun and Moon, and that the back had a dial to indicate the 235 lunations and another to predict the months in which most likely an eclipse would occur. Regardless of its unclear origins and role, the mere existence of it implies a more sophisticated bygone era of humanity than initially thought.[7][9]

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References:

[1] 1. Cartwright M. Ancient Greek Inventions [Internet]. World History Encyclopedia. 2017. Available from: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1165/ancient-greek-inventions/ 

[2] 1. Influenced Buildings [Internet]. Architecture in Ancient Greece. Available from: https://ancientgreekarchitecture-mmerret.weebly.com/influenced-buildings.html 

[3] 1.A Brief History of Atomic Time | NIST [Internet]. NIST. 2024. Available from: https://www.nist.gov/atomic-clocks/brief-history-atomic-time 

[4]1. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. sundial | Definition, History, Types, & Facts. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/technology/sundial 

[5]1.Evans J. Aristarchus of Samos | Greek astronomer. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2017. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aristarchus-of-Samos 

‌[6]1.The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Archimedes screw | technology. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/technology/Archimedes-screw 

[7] 1.Edmunds M. Antikythera mechanism | Description, Purpose, & Facts [Internet]. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2019. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Antikythera-mechanism 

[8] 1.Freiberger PA, Swaine MR. ENIAC. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2018. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/technology/ENIAC 

[9] 1.Freeth T, Higgon D, Dacanalis A, MacDonald L, Georgakopoulou M, Wojcik A. A Model of the Cosmos in the ancient Greek Antikythera Mechanism. Scientific Reports [Internet]. 2021 Mar 12;11(1). Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84310-w 

Images:

[10] 1.Getty Images. Greece Cape Sounio. Ruins of an ancient temple of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, on sunset. Shot of temple ruins on sunset. Tourist landmark of Attica, Sounion, Greece [Internet]. Unsplash.com. Unsplash; 2022 [cited 2026 Jan 16]. Available from: https://unsplash.com/photos/greece-cape-sounio-ruins-of-an-ancient-temple-of-poseidon-greek-god-of-the-sea-on-sunset-shot-of-temple-ruins-on-sunset-tourist-landmark-of-attica-sounion-greece-RvXjV3spXFA 

[11]1.Unsplash.com. 2026. Available from: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1674340587229-a40dd8daa234?q=80&w=687&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D 

[12]1.Istockphoto.com. 2026. Available from: https://media.istockphoto.com/id/468578544/photo/korean-sundial.webp?a=1&b=1&s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=kvK7cNyKs00BxRCl55duWYPsDBSlFVTgGdwzQufWWTM= 

[13]1.Istockphoto.com. 2026. Available from: https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1190650798/photo/archimedes-screw.webp?a=1&b=1&s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=BCd0RNXipaTVEoCjzFTHoijOEOnhdrHquW-2hk_codw= 

‌[14] 1.Wikimedia.org. 2026 [cited 2026 Jan 10]. Available from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Two_women_operating_ENIAC.gif

‌‌[15]1.Wikimedia.org. 2026. Available from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/NAMA_Machine_d%27Anticyth%C3%A8re_1.jpg/640px-NAMA_Machine_d%27Anticyth%C3%A8re_1.jpg