Yesterday's Tommorow: A Plausible Roman Steam TL

DonMegel

The idea of Roman steam power has always fascinated me. After reading some of the timelines on the forum, I decided to revisit one of my older ones. The first dates might seem a little sparse but I have written up through 148 and they get longer.

Enjoy!

55AD- Emperor Nero is presented with an Aeophile, a small steam driven toy invented by the Greek philosopher Heron. Intrigued, Nero asks Heron (who resides in Egypt), what else the tiny toy can do.

56AD- Heron presents a series of tiny models demonstrating various uses for the toy, including opening doors, moving the typical “Force Pump” automatically, and traveling across the floor on a ball platform. Impressed, Nero asks if larger versions were possible. Heron returns to Egypt to consult with other scholars at Library of Alexandria.

58AD- Larger and slightly modified Aeophile is fitted to a “force pump” to pump water as well as to grain and ore crushing mills that are located away from sources of flowing water. Nero points out that, while impressive, devices are not needed due to abundance of slave labor. However, sees potential to further enhance the culture and prestige of Rome and his own court. The Emperor orders a few private devices produced for the purpose of impressing visiting dignitaries or the populace.

61AD- Heron combines force pump and steam power to generate a more efficient engine. New engine is attached to cart and paddle boat to show Emperor.

62AD- Heron dies of old age but students continue to work on the Emperor’s projects in his honor.

64AD- The first of the Emperor’s mechanical marvels arrive in Rome. Emperor Nero cancels the presentation to handle another affair of estate, forcing the students to wait nearly a week for another opening in his schedule. Rather than waiting in the palace, a leading Patrician suggested the group bring their devices and stay at his estate near Palatine hill. The group graciously accepts and caustiously escorts the cloth draped wagons across Rome to the luxurious estate. After a night of revelry, the Patrician asks to be shown the Emperor’s new toys, to which the students, pleased with their work and very intoxicated, gladly comply.

Despite their compromised state of mind, the students and their hosts succeeded in unpacking and setting up the machines in a little under two hours. Slaves were then ordered to set fires to the boilers before being dismissed so that the work could be undertaken directly by the young scholars.

What followed is not completely clear, what is known is that a massive explosion rocked the afluent neighborhood in the early hours of the morning. The blast demolished part of the Patrician’s home and instantly killed most of those standing nearby. The shock of the blast toppled oil lamps and other flamible goods which soon ignited the scattered timbers and debris from the blast.

Quickly the fire spreads, destroying or severly damaging most of the city of Rome. Nero, who had been away at the time of the fire, rushed back to Rome and began helping the victims in any way he could, paying for costs out of his own funds. Despite his acts of charity, rhumors begin to spread about Nero setting the fire himself in order to make room for a new palace, to which Nero responds by persecuting Christians for the disaster.

At least one person at the party, however, was aware of the truth. One of the attendees that night was a wealthy aristocrat and amateur scholar by the name of Palonius. Palonius had stepped away from the demonstration to use the rest room and was partially shielding from the blast. After the resulting fire, he attempted to make contact with Nero and explain what had happened but soon began to fear he would be punished and changed his mind. Slowly the fear that he would be discovered and turned in gnawed at him until at last he decided to leave the city all together.
Rather fleeing to Greece or one of the outer provinces, Palonius decided to go to Alexandria to perhaps help Heron with his creations.

Upon arriving, however, he discovered the great scientist had passed away and his workshop closed. Dismayed, he offered the library a large sum of money if he could take over Heron’s projects. The Library agreed so long as any commercial application that arises from Heron’s work be the property of the Library. Palonius, who was more interested in hiding for a while than finding fame and fortune, accepts and pays one of Heron’s former students to return and assist him.
 

DonMegel

68AD- Nero’s death sparks a brief civil war.

69AD- While in Alexandria, the new Emperor, Vespasian, tours the Library and takes note of a small steam powered cart exiting a building and knocking over displays erected to commemorate his visit. Although the Emperor’s guides are quick to dismiss the incident and downplay one of their less known scholars, he is intrigued and asks to see the cart’s creator.

Palonius, covered in soot and sweat, is of an aristocratic background and quickly begins wooing the new Emperor with displays of technical wizardry, most of which he admits are Heron’s work. The Emperor is impressed and asks how these marvels might be harnessed to the benefit of the Empire. Palonius paints a vivid image of steam carts pulling wagons of goods and steam ships crisscrossing the Mediterranean but finally finds traction with his idea to move water over great distances using steam powered pumps.

While aqueducts moved water over great distances, they only went down hill. The ability to move large amounts of water uphill potentially opened additional farm land to cultivation, lessoning Roman dependence on Egyptian grain. Given the Emperor’s visit was due, at least in part, to problems with Egyptian grain, this possibility, while outlandish, was compelling.

Emperor Vespasian orders work to be done in this area and requests prototypes within a year.


70AD- Palonius finds that while attaching a steam engine to one of Heron’s pumps to move water was relatively easy, maintaining extended operation, as would be required for the amount of water being moved, was more difficult. After constant operation the pistons fail and the engine must be repaired. He solves this issue by using leather seals around the pistons and covering them liberally in animal fat. Additional grease must be added regularly to prevent failure but the simple device seems quite willing to run indefinitely so long as it is fed fuel, water and lubricant.

Towards the end of the year he returned to Rome for the first time since 64 in order to demonstrate his creation. Although a little concerned, Palonius decides the passage of time and the death of Nero will have buried any knowledge of his involvement in the great fire of Rome. This time, Vespasian keeps his appointment and the demonstration goes very well, the engine performing as expected.

The Emperor is pleased and orders the engine be set up to irrigate a parcel of land he owns outside the city. The plot is small but not utilized and is a perfect test bed for the new technology. Palonius humbly accepts and begins work immediately.


71AD- As requested, the water elevation system is installed on the Emperor’s property outside of Rome. Palonius is able to siphon water out of a near by acquduct and use his engine to push it into a small cistern built at the farm. From there the water is easily distributed throughout the property.

Again, Vespasian is pleased but recognizes the same task can be completed with slave labor for a fraction of the cost. Never the less, the marvel is a testament to Roman ingenuity and, more importantly, something that elevates his prestige. The ability to harness steam to do miraculous things plays into his propaganda proclaiming him as chosen by the gods to lead the Roman people. Farm irrigation, however, was too mundane to impress the average Roman. Instead, the Emperor asked if steam powered cranes, elevators and pumps could be built to make his new Coliseum more impressive.

Without considering the problem, Palonius readily agrees and promises great things for the glory of Rome. After the Emperor departs, Palonius immediately sends for his assistant in Alexandria so that they might begin work immediately.
 

Silver

Liked reading this new chapter of yours. Please keep up the good work. Also, will the next Roman Emperor (i.e. Trajan) or even Vespasian himself wonder about the potential of such devices for military uses and thus help expand the Roman Empire and make sure it lasts for long time? Please let me know. Thank you. :)
 

King of Rome

B.A. I like it, and your timeline here- while linear- still evokes a sense of mystery in the reader as to what will happen next. It is as if the fate of the success of the POD hangs in the balance between obscurity and revolutionizing the ancient world.

Its cool.
 

DonMegel

Silver said:
Liked reading this new chapter of yours. Please keep up the good work. Also, will the next Roman Emperor (i.e. Trajan) or even Vespasian himself wonder about the potential of such devices for military uses and thus help expand the Roman Empire and make sure it lasts for long time? Please let me know. Thank you. :)
Click to expand...

Thank you very much.

The problem with using early steam power for military means is that its heavy and slow. The steam canons, as mentioned, would be too cumbersome and complicated for the Legion. However, there are some other ways the Legion can use steam...

King of Rome said:
B.A. I like it, and your timeline here- while linear- still evokes a sense of mystery in the reader as to what will happen next. It is as if the fate of the success of the POD hangs in the balance between obscurity and revolutionizing the ancient world.

Its cool.
Click to expand...

The History Channel used to have a show called "Man, Moment, Machine" I didn't like the show but it did have a good point: history is made when an innovation (Machine), is used by the right person (man), at the right moment. Rome had the machine in Heron's steam engines but did not have the man nor the right moment. My TL provides the man but not the moment, not yet anyway.
 

Flying Dutchman

Interesting read. Didn't the Romans use some kind of primitive steampump to keep mineshafts from flooding? A better machine would mean better mining too.
 

DonMegel

Wanted to apologize for my previous comments to Silver, I thought I had already written about the steam cannons but that was for today's post. Sorry :-/


73AD- The Coliseum was an architectural marvel with planned seating for 50,000. Palonius had quickly agreed to use his, or rather Heron’s, work to make Vespasian’s triumph more impressive but failed to consider how he would accomplish this. Steam driven pumps could easily flood the floor, allowing for naval battles and then pump the water out again. Elevators, too, would be relatively easy and would allow the poor occupying the highest areas to reach their seat without climbing flights of stairs. The problem, however, was that only those working in the Coliseum would know that these were feats of technology rather than of slave labor. Palonius, and the Emperor, wanted to impress the people.

Palonius’ assistant, who is recorded only as “Braxis,” pointed out a steam powered cannon designed by Archimedes and refined by Heron for the Legion. The device had proven too expensive, heavy and complicated for military use but it worked quite well. Perhaps more importantly for the current application, it produced a massive cloud of steam when fired. This cloud of hot mist and the roar that preceded it could provide ambience to theatric battles and would certainly impress the crowd.

The pair drew out plans for a series of 9 canons to be installed in a grid on the Coliseum floor. They also made provisions for a series of water cannons that could be used against the gladiators or, after reducing the pressure, on the crowd. After review these additions Vespasian is very pleased and orders Palonius to begin working with the lead architect immediately.

While happy that Heron’s inventions are being used, Palonius is dismayed at their use. As when Heron was alive, the power of steam was only being utilized as entertainments for the Roman mob instead of to make their lives easier. Heron’s work included powerful carts that moved under their own power, potentially doing the work of both man and beast. Steam had the power to revolutionize the Roman world. Four months after being hired to work on the Coliseum, Palonius decided to approach the Emperor about his grander vision.

After concluding a meeting about the progress of construction, Palonius sought out the Emperor and outlined his ideas for self powered carts and the tasks they could accomplish. Vespasian praised the scholar’s imagination but pointed out that not only are such devices superfluous with the current abundance of slaves, but would also lead to conflict when idle hands sought something to do.

Initially Palonius is dismayed but soon begins thinking of ways to promote these devices on his own. Only the wealthiest of Rome could afford such marvels and many would agree with the Emperor but, Palonius knew there were others who would want to own a piece of the technology if for no other reason than the prestige and attention a steam vehicle would bring. The market would be small, but larger than the one the Emperor was offering.



74AD- By 74AD the implementation of steam driven components in the Coliseum had reached a point were Palonius was confident a local could complete the work allowing him and Braxis to return to Alexandria. While in Rome, Braxis was able to convince Palonius to abandon his plans for a steam driven cart in favor of a stream driven ship. Ships, he reasoned, were larger and able to more easily support the added weight of the boiler, it was also easier to travel long distances over water as opposed to the bumpy cobblestone roads that crisscrossed the Empire, and, in the event of a failure, a ship could be powered by sail.

Upon returning from Rome, the pair went about securing a used merchant vessel for conversion to steam power. The initial design was completed within weeks but Palnoius discovered Heron’s model did not scale well, primarily the density of water and the weight being required to move through it, proved too great for the engine and gearing system. The rotary paddles caused problems as well, splashing as they slapped the water, causing a loss of power, additional stress to the frame, and difficulty in navigating.

To solve these problems, Palonius sought the help of an early naval engineer studying at the Library. He listened to their problem with some interest and, after a time, proposed a series of changes. He suggested increasing the number of paddles so that the plane of the water remained broken, thus allowing easier entry and exit. He also adjusted the shape of the paddles and shortened their length thus reducing splash and the amount of torque needed to turn them. As a bonus, he also sketched out a rough method of turning the craft by slowing or quickening the port or starboard paddle wheel, thus causing one side of the craft to advance at a different rate and turning the craft. The pair was infinity grateful, as they had not yet begun to address navigation.

They next began examining the boiler. Heron’s designs utilized basic variations of a modified cauldron to boil water and create steam. This was fine for smaller applications but when the model was scaled up the amount of fire needed to heat the extra water grew too massive. They found that a series of smaller boilers was more effective but multiplied the problems of managing one boiler, namely keeping them from exploding. Finally, they settled on what would become a major advance in steam technology.

An oven was constructed that could be fed fuel and kept at a certain temperature. Inside this oven a large, but manageable, cauldron was placed with its lid secured tightly. From this metal sphere a pair of pipes ran, one to feed additional water, another to transport the steam that was generated. By this method new water could constantly be pumped into the boiler and a steady stream of pressure maintained for the engine. This was much more efficiant and controled than previous designs.

By the end of the year Palonius was ready to reveal his new creation to the world.
 
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Dathi THorfinnsson

other threads of interest:

Aeolipile: A Roman Steam Engine? - Alternate History Discussion Board

N00b WI : Roman steam-powered industrial revolution ...

Roman Steam Engine - Alternate History Discussion Board



Roman Steam Engines - Alternate History Discussion Board



Heron's steam engine - Alternate History Discussion Board



Industrial Revolution in the Roman Empire - Alternate History ...



Stoicism(ban on slavery) push for a industrial revolution in the ...



Roman-era Steam Tech Question - Alternate History Discussion Board

and more


Note the history of the steam engine of OTL. It was used to pump water out of coal mines, and only coal mines originally, because it was inefficient and used up huge amounts of coal. Until Watt came along with his improved version, it simply wasn't economical elsewhere.


Now....


You're proposing that stuff that was very effective as a temple gimmick suddenly becomes useful outside a temple? That's a pretty big jump. The trick with the doors only had to happen once or twice a day, so fuel wasn't a real problem. The Aeolipile was a cute toy - but was an INCREDIBLY inefficient steam engine - and had no way to transfer torque to any useful purpose.


The Roman Empire didn't have the technology, the need or the necessary social preconditions for an industrial revolution.


Sorry.


I would have posted something like this several days ago, but I mostly browse the site on my Nook these days and you just can't do a post like this on a Nook.


PS In English, we usually spell the guy's name as "Hero". If you really want to call him "Heron", you should call the emperor "Neron":) Although, to be fair, you do see "Heron" in English and you never see "Neron". I know French, at least, uses the 'n' forms for both, and sometimes switching between languages trips one up.
 

Flying Dutchman

@ Danthi.. Heron is the proper Greek form of a Greek inventor, although English mangles it to Hero. Nero however is a Latin name and is spelled corectly. Difference between Greek and Latin grammar.

On topic: interesting developments, even if gravity could easily furfill the role you use the pumps for.. The pumps must be quite powerful to fill the Colosseum.
 

jkay

Sorry, but it STILL can't be done,any more than in the other TLs that've failed.

Just for openers, NERO would never'e treated Hero so well. Clearly you've never heard of "PLayed lyre while Rome helpfully butned to clear space" Nero. He was no stable or decent ruler, and generally thought a horror by historians.

And, Dathi's right about the other problems.

Sorry again.
 

DonMegel

Dathi THorfinnsson said:
Note the history of the steam engine of OTL. It was used to pump water out of coal mines, and only coal mines originally, because it was inefficient and used up huge amounts of coal. Until Watt came along with his improved version, it simply wasn't economical elsewhere.


Now....


You're proposing that stuff that was very effective as a temple gimmick suddenly becomes useful outside a temple? That's a pretty big jump. The trick with the doors only had to happen once or twice a day, so fuel wasn't a real problem. The Aeolipile was a cute toy - but was an INCREDIBLY inefficient steam engine - and had no way to transfer torque to any useful purpose.

The Roman Empire didn't have the technology, the need or the necessary social preconditions for an industrial revolution.

Sorry.
Click to expand...

I haven't started an industrial revolution, as you can see my main character is having a difficult time getting things going.

My TL also assumes Heron, if shown interest from Nero, would have developed something more advanced than the Aeophile. Ofcourse, he could have designed other steam devices in the OTL but they have been lost to history. Remember the Library, and much of its contents, have been lost to history.

jkay said:
Sorry, but it STILL can't be done,any more than in the other TLs that've failed.

Just for openers, NERO would never'e treated Hero so well. Clearly you've never heard of "PLayed lyre while Rome helpfully butned to clear space" Nero. He was no stable or decent ruler, and generally thought a horror by historians.

And, Dathi's right about the other problems.

Sorry again.
Click to expand...

Actually, that was not true, he was not even in the city at the time. When he heard about the fire, he rushed back to Rome and even paid for victims funds using his own money. While he was no saint, he was also not the Nero of legend.
 
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VictorLaszlo

DonMegel said:
... Palonius paints a vivid image of steam carts pulling wagons of goods and steam ships crisscrossing the Mediterranean but finally finds traction with his idea to move water over great distances using steam powered pumps.

While aqueducts moved water over great distances, they only went down hill. The ability to move large amounts of water uphill potentially opened additional farm land to cultivation, lessoning Roman dependence on Egyptian grain. Given the Emperor’s visit was due, at least in part, to problems with Egyptian grain, this possibility, while outlandish, was compelling.

Emperor Vespasian orders work to be done in this area and requests prototypes within a year.


70AD- Palonius finds that while attaching a steam engine to one of Heron’s pumps to move water was relatively easy, maintaining extended operation, as would be required for the amount of water being moved, was more difficult. After constant operation the pistons fail and the engine must be repaired. He solves this issue by using leather seals around the pistons and covering them liberally in animal fat. Additional grease must be added regularly to prevent failure but the simple device seems quite willing to run indefinitely so long as it is fed fuel, water and lubricant.

Towards the end of the year he returned to Rome for the first time since 64 in order to demonstrate his creation. Although a little concerned, Palonius decides the passage of time and the death of Nero will have buried any knowledge of his involvement in the great fire of Rome. This time, Vespasian keeps his appointment and the demonstration goes very well, the engine performing as expected.

The Emperor is pleased and orders the engine be set up to irrigate a parcel of land he owns outside the city. The plot is small but not utilized and is a perfect test bed for the new technology. Palonius humbly accepts and begins work immediately.


71AD- As requested, the water elevation system is installed on the Emperor’s property outside of Rome. Palonius is able to siphon water out of a near by acquduct and use his engine to push it into a small cistern built at the farm. From there the water is easily distributed throughout the property.

Again, Vespasian is pleased but recognizes the same task can be completed with slave labor for a fraction of the cost. ...
Click to expand...
Well, by that time there was already a long established method to move large quantities of water uphill, the Archimedean screw.
 

Elfwine

I don't know if Nero is the man, but as for Hero(n) and "What if he had other designs?"

I'll put it this way: Why would the least efficient and least practical version of his designs survive, when a practical-at-the-time steam engine design would be something not dependent on being saved on some crumbling scroll in the Library?


Also:
Steam engines are vulnerable to blowing up (yay steam pressure!). And I'm not sure that the design suggested here isn't even more vulnerable - which is going to be a major deterrent.

And that, of course, is if it works reliably at what it's supposed to do - a serious concern for OTL early designs, and that this TTL has an easier time just doesn't ring right.
 

Ofaloaf

DonMegel said:
Ah, but how to you turn the screw?
Click to expand...
By hand?

I'm particularly having a hard time with the use of the aeolipile as the driving force for a cart. The boiler was basically a glorified tea kettle, and since nobody understood much of anything about air pressure it never really was able to produce that much force to work with.

Even if someone did come up with the idea of using separate water flues within the boiler to increase steam production, the aforementioned lack of knowledge of air pressure, combined with the lack of knowledge regarding the strength of various metals under pressure (info needed to answer the question "how thick does this boiler have to be?") means that odds are good that whoever first experiments with flues is going to be blown up.

I mean, you've basically skipped over the century-and-a-half of all the smart guys in Europe faffing about in various royal societies and salons and accumulating all the ideas and all the barebones data needed just for a Frenchman to invent a pressure cooker.

I love the idea of Rome steaming up, but there's a huge chasm between the aeolipile and a workable industrial steam engine, and having a few emperors throw money and patronage around isn't going to bridge a gap that took all of Europe centuries to cross later on.


edit: General question. Anybody know what, if any, units of measurement Romans or Greeks used for temperature?
 
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