Energy resources in Ancient Greek Technology

Theodosios Tassios
Professor, National Technical University of Athens

In Ancient Greece, several natural energy resources were in use, like the human and animal power, wind energy (e.g. in sailboats), thermal power (e.g. in metallurgy) and hydrodynamic energy (e.g. in clothes’ cleaning). An important change however was achieved during the Hellenistic period by converting natural energy resources, into kinetic motion, such as the water-driven bucket chain of Philon, the windmill-powered devices of Heron and the primitive steam-turbine of Heron. This advance made several mechanical applications feasible.

Theodosios P. Tassios, Professor Emeritus of the National Technical University of Athens, member of the Academy of Sciences of Torino, doctor honoris causa of Liege University, University of Nanjing, of Democritos University, of Aristotle University, of Cyprus University and of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, has served as expert and consultant of United Nations Organisations and of the European Union, as well as President of international scientific societies. He is honorary President of the Hellenic Society of Philosophy, and President of the Society for the Study of Ancient Greek Technology. He is the author of about 440 papers and 50 books in several languages. In September 2013 he received the Intern. Award of Merit in Structural Engineering (IABSE) in Zurich.