Yesterday's Tommorow: A Roman Steam TL

This is take 2 of my Roman steam timeline. The inclusion of the word “plausible” in the title of my last TL apparently opened me to a firestorm of criticism so it has been removed. I have also changed some of the following to better reflect what was learned in that thread in order to make it more….plausible…

I appreciate comments, especially about the history and technology, but please refrain from spamming “this is not possible and should be in another thread”

For the record, my POD is when the Roman Emperor, upon learning of Heron’s inventions, decides to encourage their development rather than repress them.

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 steam power, including opening doors, moving a “Force Pump” automatically, and traveling across the floor as part of a cart. Impressed, Nero asks if larger versions were possible. Heron returns to Egypt to consult with other scholars at Library of Alexandria.


61AD- Heron comes to the conclusion that a force pump can be combined with steam pressure to more efficiently harness its energy. Steam is created in a boiler and then channeled to the pump. The pressure pushes the pump out, thus moving a lever or turning a wheel. Counter weights push the pump back down to receive another push of steam. This more efficient design is attached to a small cart capable of moving a man and presented to the Emperor. Nero is very impressed but points out that these 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.

62AD- Before completing the Emperor’s projects, Heron dies of old age. Out of respect for the beloved mentor and teacher, his students decide to finish the order placed by Nero in Heron’s honor.

64AD- The first of the Emperor’s mechanical marvels arrive in Rome. Emperor Nero, however, 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 suggests 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 Polonius. Polonius 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 fed to the lions along with the Christians gnawed at him until at last he decided to leave the city all together.

Rather fleeing to Greece or one of the frontier provinces, Polonius decided to go to Alexandria to perhaps help Heron with his creations. He had seen what steam could do and felt that was a field with potential. Upon arriving, however, he discovered the great scientist had passed away and his workshop was 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 arose from Heron’s work be the property of the Library. Polonius, who was more interested in hiding for a while than finding fame and fortune, accepts and pays one of Heron’s former students, Braxis, to return and assist him.

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 lesser known scholars, he is intrigued and asks to see the cart’s creator.

Polonius, 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. Polonius 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 improve irrigation and farming 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- Polonius finds that while attaching Heron’s engine to a pump or to an Archimedes Screw 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. After a while the head of steam bleeds off as well, causing a lull in operation

He partially solves both issues with improved seals for the piston. This creates less wear and reduces the amount of steam that escapes in each stroke, thus permitting longer operation. Rather than letting the steam pour into the piston as it is created, he also installs a simple governor, allowing steam to build at the same rate it is lost, and reducing interruptions in operation.

While testing his rig, Polonius is slightly injured when the pressure within the boiler becomes so great that the governor explodes, sending shrapnel in all directions. Braxis points out that Heron lost more than one student to boiler explosions and that one must be very carful not to build up too much pressure. Polonius is concerned that there are too many variables to consider when making steam devices, the pressure in the boiler and the lines, the heat being applied, the water level, the mechanical apparatus. However, there was not time to tackle these issues prior to visiting the Emperor so Polonius rebuilt the governor, enlarging the opening to prevent such a build up of steam.

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, Polonius 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, the Emperor keeps his appointment and the demonstration goes very well with the engine performing as expected and not exploding

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. Polonius humbly accepts and begins work immediately.

71AD- As requested, the water elevation system is installed on the Emperor’s property outside of Rome. Polonius is able to siphon water out of a near by aqueduct 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 points out that 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 devices could be built to make his new Coliseum more impressive.

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

While waiting on Braxis to arrive, Polonius learns the small engine left in operation at the Emperor’s farm exploded, killing three slaves. The Emperor is not concerned, crediting the accident to a slave’s incompetence, but Polonius knows all to well the destructive force a failed boiler can cause.

73AD- The Coliseum was an architectural marvel with planned seating for 50,000. Polonius 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. Elevators, hoisted high above the ground by a steam pulley, should be easy to implement 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. Polonius, and the Emperor, wanted to impress the people.

Polonius’ assistant, 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 and, if used properly, was much less likely to explode. This cloud of hot mist and the roar that preceded it could provide ambience to theatric battles and would certainly impress the crowd.

Braxis also suggested a kind of water nozzle using steam to produce the pressure. A closed cistern would be partially filled with water and a pipe leading out from the bottom and top. The top pipe would feed steam into the cistern, pressuring the chamber. This would force water out of the bottom pipe to be sprayed about the coliseum.

After reviewing these additions Vespasian was pleased with the cannons but not the water guns as those could be easily duplicated using a gravity fed system for less money and complexity. He orders Polonius to begin working with the lead architect to implement the canons in a grid on the coliseum floor.

While happy that Heron’s inventions are being used, Polonius 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, Polonius decided to approach the Emperor about his grander vision.

After concluding a meeting about the progress of construction, Polonius 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 Polonius 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, Polonius 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 Polonius’ steam cannons in the Coliseum had reached a point were he was confident a local could complete the work allowing him and Braxis to return to Alexandria. While in Rome, Braxis was able to convince Polonius 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 Polonius 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. The engine itself was also problematic, producing uneven power, shaking and rattling the rig.

To solve these problems, Polonius sought the help of an early naval engineer, a Boatwright 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. This required a method of measuring how much force was inside the boiler at any one time.

77AD- Before an engine strong enough to propel his small craft could be constructed, Polonius fist had to know how much pressure the cauldron could handle before rupturing. For this he formulated a simple method for measuring pressure and used it to calibrate a simple piston gauge that was then installed on the smaller boilers.

To increase the heat, an oven was constructed that could be fed fuel and kept at a certain temperature. Inside this oven the three small boilers were placed with pipes for the gauges extending upward and out for easy viewing. Pipes also ran into each boiler to deliver new water and to feed steam to the pistons 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 efficient and controlled than previous designs.

After three years Polonius was ready to reveal his new creation to the world.

78AD- On a sunny morning in mid March, Polonius revealed his completed steam driven paddle boat to a few dozen curious onlookers. Ships of all types were a very common sight to the people of Alexandria, one of the largest ports of the Empire, but none with two large pin wheels of ores faceted to either side. Polonius’ vessel, named The Heron, in honor of the master scholar, also featured a strange lump in the center with a long pipe jutting from the top to vent smoke.

With a growing number of eyes scrutinizing their work, Polonius and Braxis began stoking the fires that would heat the boiler, forcing thick plumes of gray/black smoke to begin billowing from the short stack. Given the shortage of wood in the Egyptian area, Braxis had suggested a combination of wood and oil to make fuel more economical, the resulting smoke bearing an unusual color and aroma.

After nearly an hour, during which time more onlookers had gathered, more interested in the crowd than the device, Polonius decided enough steam had been generated to engage the paddles. With a startling roar followed by groaning metal and wood, the paddles stuttered into operation. Water, churned white by the paddles, flung up and over the wheels, spraying the sizable crowed who cheered with glee.

Despite the adjustments made by the Boatwright, the paddles created a great deal of foam and spray, reducing the amount of effective propulsion they generated. This gave the ship a rather unimpressive acceleration; especially considering the load the engine was being forced to endure. However, the ship did move forward without any assistance from wind nor hand drawn ores. It was a success.

The Heron’s maiden voyage took it to the mouth of the harbor where it garnished additional attention from traditionally powered vessels on their way in or out of port. It was at this point that Polonius was to discover flaws in his design not initially anticipated. Roman vessels lacked a keel, the long spine of a ship that runs from aft to stern and jutting into the water. A keel not only strengthens a ship structurally but acts as a fixed rudder, keeping the vessel upright and stable. Without this basic nautical device, Roman vessels were more difficult to control and more likely to capsize in the right conditions. Unknowingly, Polonius had created those conditions perfectly with his vessel.

To begin with, the large metal boiler was perched above deck, making the vessel top heavy. This was compensated, theoretically, by ballast kept below deck but The Heron did not have sufficient quantities. To make the problem worse, the boiler had been surrounded by a thick layer of clay to prevent the heat from igniting the wood around it, increasing the weight above deck.

Secondly, the engine required a great deal of water to operate. This was stored onboard in a large tank below deck. When a container of water is tilted back and forth it begins to slosh, throwing its weight first to one side and then the other. Eventually, if not compensated for, this can cause the container to flip over. While the water tank on The Heron was firmly securing and the waters of the harbor calm, the agitating effect caused by the inefficient ores began the sloshing and, unable to flip over within the vessel, forced the entire ship to rock back and forth.

By the time the men aboard realized there was a problem it was too late, the wake from a passing ship tipped The Heron first on her side and then, quickly, all the way over. As soon as the cool Mediterranean water came in contact with the hot boiler it promptly exploded, tearing the boat around it in two. What remained quickly sand to the bottom of the harbor amidst a thunderous cloud of steam.

Polonius and Braxis had ordered the vessel abandoned when the rocking became uncontrollable and as such, there was only one death, that of a deck hand who did not know how to swim. Their ship, and the revolutionary enhancements made to it, however, was completely unsalvageable.

79AD- The rest of 78 and into 79 saw the launch of the second and third iteration of Polonius steam powered vessel in front of an ever-shrinking base of onlookers. Unlike The Heron, The Heron II did not explode and sink, allowing to be used for the much-improved The Heron III. Although from a Patrician background, Polonius fortunes had declined significantly since leaving Rome and embarking on his new career path. The Library provided a small stipend to continue Heron’s work as well as access to all of its facilities, but much of the cost for materials, including the purchase of ships and expensive fuel, the hiring of workers, and healthy amounts of iron and bronze, came out of his own pocket, pockets that had begun to grow lighter in the past few years.

After making it back to shore and failing to salvage the mass of splinters that was The Heron, Polonius was approached by one of those who had been watching the disaster. Phillip, a Greek civil engineer, observed that his drive wheels looked like a series of traditional ores arrayed in a circle for contentious operation. Water wheels, he explained, such as those used for mills around the Empire, caught water in their fins and rotated. He suggested the opposite might work as well, with the fins in the water wheel pushing water out to propel the craft.

After modifying the common water wheel design to make it more suitable for his purposes, Polonius found it much more efficient, with less wasted energy and less agitation in the water. Acceleration was very poor, as was the vessel’s top speed, but it proved the concept was sound.

The location of the boiler had been lowered to reduce the vessels center of gravity and multiple containers were used to house the needed water rather than one large one in order to reduce the sloshing effect. Unfortunately this made the entire apparatus heavier and more expensive but Polonius was primarily concerned with making it work rather than making it practical.

After these, and other, more minor, corrections were made, Polonius and Braxis completed their first successful navigation of Alexandria’s harbor. For the next few days they put The Heron III through various trials, testing its speed, maneuverability and durability in different situations. More adjustments followed but at last, satisfied the craft would survive an extended journey, they set sail for Tyrus in Syria to begin their promotional mission.

In route, Polonius discovers that after only a short while, the head of steam built up to drive the paddles is exhausted, requiring the vessel to stop. Rather than proceeding in an elastic advance, he ordered the boilers cooled and sails to be hoisted. Before entering Tyrus, however, he orders the sails stowed and steams into the harbor using the paddles.

Among the curious onlookers was a fabulously wealth Greek by the name of Hipparchus who had was visiting Tyrus to inspect some potential holdings. After sailing around the harbor aboard the loud and dirty ship, he invited Polonius to bring his vessel to Naples where he was going to be visiting friends and associates.

More interested in selling The Heron III than sailing to Italy, Polonius initially declined, but the handsome sum of money Hipparchus offered was too tempting to refuse. As July dawned, Polonius and crew set sail for the wealthy city of Naples and the smaller vacation towns that surrounded it.

79AD Prt II- With July drawing to a close, Polonius and The Heron III, steamed into Herculanium, a short distance from Naples. There they were met by one of Hipparchus’ colleagues, a man by the name of Caiaphas, who had been instructed to attend to their needs. Although The Heron III never spent the night at sea, birthing always at towns along the rout, the small crew was none the less pleased to be offered such hospitality.

Caiaphas explained that Hipparchus had been detained in Rome on some business but that he would be along in a few days. While they waited, Polonius demonstrated The Heron III’s steam engine and capabilities to Caiaphas and anyone else who happened to be near by. All were greatly impressed and marveled at the incredible machine but Polonius was eager for his host to arrive so that he might begin impressing more financially viable crowds.

Hipparchus never made it to Herculanium.

Not even a week following the arrival of The Heron III, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, instantly inundating Pompeii in hundreds of tons of ash. Nearby Herculanium was spared instant destruction but was rapidly being buried in falling debris and flooded with poison gasses.

Pliny the Elder, friend to Emperors Vespasian and Titus, was stationed nearby and receives a plea for evacuation from Herculanium. Roads were already impassible and only the sea offered any hope of escape. Without concern for his own safety, Pliny the Elder, and men from his unit, immediately bored a light sail boat and cross the small expanse of water that lies between them. Strong winds drive the ship forward into the darkness of ash induced night and threaten to damage the light vessel. When urged to turn back, Pliny responded “Fortune favors the brave” and they continued.

Upon reaching the opposite shore and gathering the survivors, Pliny and his crew found that the same violent winds that drove them to Herculanium were preventing their return. One of his number, Caiaphas, remembered that Polonius was staying in Herculanium and explained how he might help. Pliny was skeptical but willing to investigate the refugees claim. After all, they were as desperate as he to leave the doomed city.

A few births down from where Pliny’s vessel was moored, he found Pliny and a small crew scurrying about their strange looking vessel preparing to depart. Surprised at the validity of Caiaphas’ story, Pliny approached Polonius and explained their situation. Polonius was unsure his ship would carry all those who wished to leave but was willing to try. After being ordered to leave all belongings, the small group squeezed aboard The Heron III and prayed for a safe journey.

Sputtering and splashing more than usual, the first steam ship inched away from the dock and, dangerously low in the water, slid slowly to safety.

Upon arrival, Pliny sent word to Emperor Titus of the escapade. The Emperor was astounded by the tale of heroism and rescue using a “steam” powered vessel. He immediately seizes on the tale and promotes the story as triumph in the face of tragedy, of Roman ingenuity overcoming the worst of nature. Against the backdrop of such a catastrophe, the heroic acts of Pliny shine and serve as a rally of hope in the midst of horror of the eruption. A key component of this heroic tale is the almost magical escape of a Roman hero via a triumph of Roman engineering; the steam boat.

Titus commissions new public projects using steam power to remind people of the tale and dedicates them to the victims of the volcano. Large shipping firms are also interested in adapting the technology to merchant vessels and some offer to fund exploration into that area. Privately, the Emperor also demands adaptation for larger ships but for military use.


Polonius is only too happy to accommodate but Braxis is more concerned. He points out that The Heron III requires their personal attention, without which it could easily fail or explode. Letting the public use such vehicles was dangerous. Furthermore, larger commercial steam ships required more power than their largest engine could produce as well as constant run times which The Heron III did not seem able to maintain.

More irritated than concerned, Palonius sends Braxis back to Alexandria to begin working on more powerful engines while he floats around the upper echelons of Roman society retelling the tale of his daring rescue.

80AD- The better part of six months passed while Braxis toiled over how to make the little steam engine more powerful. Larger or more boilers, more pistons, higher pressure, there were countless variables to consider and he wasn’t really sure which one had the greatest affect on the engine’s power.

A much easier dilemma, and thus what he had been working on for the most part, lie in the Emperor’s public works assignment. The Heron III’s engine was powerful enough to push a small cart with two or three carts in tow. After attaching the cart to a guide rail so that it ran in a circle it made a perfect ride for up to ten people at a time. With a mountain of metal and a tube billowing white and black smoke, there was also no mistaking it was driven by steam power, thus reminding all who saw it of Pliny’s daring escape.

It was on this project that Braxis was occupied when a representative of the Emperor arrived to view the naval prototype for the military. Ofcourse, Braxis had nothing close to a design, let alone a prototype, and had to decline. The representative, a slave named Oranatic, protested, explaining Master Palonius promised the vessel within a year and that enough time had passed for a prototype to be inspected.

Braxis was very angry at Palonius for his baseless promises and wrote a lengthy note explaining as much. He then entrusted the note to Oranatic and sent him back to Rome.

Back in the capital city, Polonius found he had missed court life, enjoying his travels with Titus immensely. He accompanied the Emperor to Pompeii along with Pliny the Elder as part of his humanitarian public relations tours and happily played up his role as the mechanical genius that facilitated the brave Roman escape. When word reached Titus, however, that another fire had broken out in Rome, Polonius had flashbacks of a similar conflagration under Nero that had launched his new career and feared it was a bad omen from the gods.

Immediately the new Emperor returned to the capital to asses the damage and provide relief but Polonius declined. As fortune would have it, the Emperor’s slave had recently returned from Alexandria with Braxis’ note. Polonius seized on the correspondence as cause for him to travel to Egypt and return the Emperor’s projects to schedule. Titus gave Polonius his blessing and the two parted company.

Rather than take the now famed The Heron III back to Alexandria, Polonius agreed to sell the vessel to Caiaphas for a handsome sum. Caiaphas, who had initially declined to purchase the vessel outright, had a change of heart after using it to steam to safety. Completing the sale, Polonius returned to Alexandria in a style he had not known since leaving Rome over ten years prior.

Upon arrival he was greeted with a somewhat different environment than the air of fanfare that he had left. Braxis was still fuming over the grandiose promises he had made to Titus for fleets of steam driven warships and even more enraged that The Heron III had been sold. His fears were confirmed later that year when The Heron III’s boiler exploded, killing all onboard, including Caiaphas.

To compound Polonius’ troubles, the library demanded much of what he had received for the sale of The Heron III as per their agreement when he assumed control of Heron’s inventions. This, of course, did not affect the development of steam power whose patronage had been secured in Rome, but it did deprive Polonius of his revitalized fortune.

Humbled, Polonius made amends with Braxis and began assisting him with the development of more powerful engines.

81AD- The new year dawned and passed quietly in Alexandria, save the typical celebrations inherent to that time and location. In years past, Polonius was quick to take part in the festivities but, so recent was his chastisement, chose to remain on campus instead. Not four months passed before another representative of Titus arrived to inspect the pair’s progress. As before, there was not much to show. Braxis had tried dozens of different boiler arrangements trying to get the most pressure from the smallest package while Polonius had been experimenting with different piston and level combinations but neither men had a workable solution to show Titus.
The pair was able to offer the small steam cart amusement ride for consideration which the slave approved of but was still disappointed that no warships had been produced. After the slave departed for Rome, Polonius began to fear his boasting would cost both of them their lives but this fear was short lived. In September, word reached Egypt that Emperor Titus had succumb to fever and died, succeeded by his brother Domitian. Polonius, who traveled with the Emperor and knew him to be in good health and sound mind, was both shocked and relived. The Emperor’s demands for results were no longer as threatening, due in large part to him being dead, but this also meant the elaborate public works projects and military contracts he offered were also gone, to say nothing of Imperial patronage.

For others, the Emperor’s death had a more sinister meaning. Pliny the Elder, who dedicated one of his elaborate books to Vespasian’s son, immediately suspected Domitian was more than a helpless bystander when Titus grew ill. Rumors that the new Emperor packed his brother in snow to “freeze” the fever out of him did not help to ease Pliny’s mind and he soon began asking more probing questions.

To Domitian’s credit, he did not have Pliny executed as Emperors past would have done, perhaps out of fear of public opinion but, as he later abolished the practice all together, more likely due to personal convictions. In any case, Domitian grew weary of Pliny’s inquiries and resigned him to Gnaeus Julius Agricola’s forces in Brittian, litterally removing him from the mainland of Europe.

Well.

You've increased the length of time by a couple of years here and there, and trimmed a few minor bits from the original timeline.

For the specific technical details, I can't really comment on any one specific issue over another given my lack of mechanical or engineering background, so I can't help or offer critisism on that front.

My biggest issue overall is still somewhat not the idea of the timeline, so much as the development and progress in the timeline. You've pushed a few events up about four to five years later than version 1.0, but for someone operating with next to no information, a slow communications network with outside help, and given the industrial base of the time, it's still a rush job developing the technology, IMVHO.

The idea of developing steam powered technology sooner is still very doable, but I really think you'd be looking at a time period of at least 100-150 years. OTL it took dozens of men with far greater understanding of science, far greater resources, and better methods of record keeping and communications with one another well over 100 years to get a working model. While the idea is still very possible, this TL doesn't seem very practical.

I essentially concur with Hyperion.
We know that the Greeks were capable of creating some remarkable technology-- the Antikythera device, for example-- but they came out of long, multi-generational traditions and a pretty good understanding of the engineering, mathematics, and basic physics to serve as the necessary background. One remarkable genius isn't going to get steam tech this far---it is a remarkable leap even from designing devices to enhance Coliseum games to even a rudimentary 2nd generation engine, let alone a working steamboat. This simply has to be an on-going work passed on from your protagonist's son to his son's son--and beyond. For it not to is simply beyond my suspension of disbelief.

With that being said, I wish you the best in your TL. May the criticism's of others be productive and positive and serve to enhance the quality of your otherwise fine TL. I don't want to see it nuked out of existence.

Thank you, I appreciate your comments. I am assuming Heron did much of the heavy lifting, with Palonius and Braxis building upon his work. Also, the steam ship is very small, and can only run a short distance before switching to sail power. It may be a stretch, but I think it possible.

My main objection to expanding the timeline by 50-100 years is that the further from Heron we get, the less likely people would continue to work on steam tech due to its limited use.

If Heron's work didn't come to anything, and Palonius' work didn't come to anything, why would someone keep working on it when there is no apparent need?

I think if I can't make it happen here it wouldn't happen.


82AD- Gnaeus Julius Agricola had been appointed as governor of Britannia and had excelled in both quelling rebellion and acquiring new lands for Rome. His fame was not limited to the extreme periphery of the Empire, either, as Pliny the Elder was familiar with the man prior to his arrival. Agricola, of course, was familiar with Pliny the Elder if for no other reason than his recent theatrics near Pompeii but had also read some of his work. The two also found that they also shared a mutual distrust of their new Emperor and felt their current duty station was in no small part due to his influence.

The previous year Agricola had been entertaining the idea of invading a neighboring island occupied by the Irish but had, for various reasons, changed his focus to the vast expanses of land that would come to be known as Scotland. Not least of the reasons for his initial interest in Ireland was the presence of a deposed Irish king by the name of Tuathal Techtmar in the Roman camp. Pliny immediately took to the deposed king and the two spent many hours in deep discourse about both Rome and the man’s island home.

After a time, Pliny proposed Agricola again consider seizing Ireland and returning Techtmar to the throne. Not only would the conquest be simple but with an allied king, additional auxiliaries could be provided for a foray into Scotland. As Agricola’s designs for Scotland included an amphibious assault, he already had the necessary craft constructed and changing his plans as relatively simple.

Agricola consented and Techtmar arrived in Ireland at the head of a full Roman legion. As had been expected, the conflict was short, with a complete Roman victory. Agricola decided to wait out the remainder of the year to allow his new ally time to gather forces for their combined assault on the north.

On the completely opposite end of the Empire, Polonius continued to struggle with improving Heron’s basic steam engine with little success. Since there was only so many configurations for a boiler, he decided to focus instead on the pistons that transformed steam pressure into mechanical action. On this he had to work alone as Braxis had, towards the end of the year, traveled to Rome to present the steam driven cart to the new Emperor as a gift.

DonMegel said:

My main objection to expanding the timeline by 50-100 years is that the further from Heron we get, the less likely people would continue to work on steam tech due to its limited use.

If Heron's work didn't come to anything, and Palonius' work didn't come to anything, why would someone keep working on it when there is no apparent need?

Click to expand...

>
>
>
Short range Roman steam vessels could be used the way they were in our history, as tugboats for canal boats or to get ships into and out of port against the wind.

Liked reading the new chapter, especially the part where Agricola (with Pliny the Elder's help) supports an Irish king and thus turning Hibernia into a Roman client state not unlike in the OTL and then turning their attentions in conquering Caledonia/Alba for the Roman Empire - thus soon making all of the British Isles as part of the Roman Empire. Please keep at it, especially the steam technology parts. Thank you.

DonMegel said:

If Heron's work didn't come to anything, and Palonius' work didn't come to anything, why would someone keep working on it when there is no apparent need?

Click to expand...

That's the problem. If there's "no apparent need", how do you get "A Steam TL" - not just a few toys but steam engines capable of useful work?

Doing it in twenty years doesn't really address the issue.

OTL, people kept working on it because there was some point to it. Here, if even you (the author) can't think of a reason people would be willing to unless it produced immediate results . . .

I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I think it has to be said.

Still enjoying this tl. Though, I do think a successful invasion of Ireland wouldn't have been easier. Amphibious craft might have got them there (and I think at this stage they would have been very unreliable, and otl technology would have been sufficient) but they wouldn't have won any battles once they got there.

I know it's not what the tl is about, but I'm enjoying the personal touches; like Polonius swanning/lioning around Roman high society.

Are there any spin off effects from the crafts used to make boilers? Are Polonius and Braxis developing new calculations?

DonMegel said:

Elfwine: This is why I am taking things so slowly concerning the adoption of the technology. Putting aside the likelihood of a useful steam engine being produced at this time, its difficult to encourage mass adoption when things are working fine without it. However, I have some ideas that will begin to come to light soon.

Click to expand...

So if things are working fine without it . . . and all that the inventors have to show is an expensive, unreliable toy that blows up . . . why is it being generously funded?

Same reason the space program was funded the way it was, national pride. Trinkets and toys to show ourselves how above everyone else we are.

Ferngolly said:

Same reason the space program was funded the way it was, national pride. Trinkets and toys to show ourselves how above everyone else we are.

Click to expand...

Not really the same situation or with the same amount to show for it, however. If nothing else, the space program had "The Russians/Communists/Soviets are doing it".

DonMegel said:

Putting aside the likelihood of a useful steam engine being produced at this time, its difficult to encourage mass adoption when things are working fine without it.

Click to expand...

So, in addition to completely ignoring any questions about how the steam engine is developed you are now going to also completely ignore why the steam engine will be adopted?

And you're okay with that?

What's that old saying about a beautiful but stupid girl: "Body by Chrysler, brain by Fisher"? The same applies here.

Excellent writing, execrable research. It really is a shame.