Archimedes and the Giant Claw

[kobayashi]

I just watched a great documentary about Archimedes who surprisingly lived in Sicily. That was when Syracuse was the second most important Greek city. When the Syracusians changed sides in the war between the Romans and Carthginians, the Romans attacked. The Greeks has a Giant Claw designed by Archimedes that could lift and capsize the Roman Galleons. That and a great wall kept the Romans at bay for two years until some traitors openned the gates.

Anyway, Archimedes' Claw would make a great Wonder or super unit in any scenario of the period. I wonder if anybody has ever used it.

Alcib, isn't it about time you tried to make a scneario. I'd bet my last dollar that you would be great at it. This could be a possible one for you to try (plus you're of Greek origin)

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

If you have ever played age of empires expansion "The Rise of Rome", it has a great Syacusae scenario. Kull used the claw as a shore battery improvement in his Ancient Empires, the early empires, scenario. If I made a scenario, how would I have the time to help everybody else with theirs?

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[BeBro]

Hey, very interesting, kobayashi. Had they really built that claw or was it only planned?
I read somewhere Archimedes had also designed a giant lense or mirror that could act like an "ancient laser" (hmm, sorry I don´t know how to describe it exactly), it had the ability to set ships in flames, even at higher distance.
But in another book they said (if I remember correctly - it was long ago I read that) that all these things didn´t really exist. I´d like to know more about them...

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Civ2000 hosted by CivII Universum

 

[kobayashi]

I can't really be sure of course but in the show, they built a claw out of the materials available in those days and lifted a twenty five ton fishing trawler using about thirty men. They also quoted several works by ancient historians describing the siege. I don't think the lens laser was true though since they didn't even have mirrors in those days and we didn't get the technology to build giant lenses until the 20th century.

Back to the Alcib scenario building campaign. Maybe building one yourself would help you to understand more aspects of other people's scenarios. Its good to be well rounded and I KNOW you are good with computers.

Doesn't anyone else agree with me?

 

[Exile]

Yes,

Exile