Roman Printing Press
- Thread starter Tjakari
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Well. Printing press was invented in a situation where there were to many papers. Do the same on 800 a.d then we maybe have it?
Well, Chineese had printing press in XIth century already:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_printing_in_East_Asia
I think that main problem might be lack of paper- printing on Papyrus is not an option (it's too brittle imo- but I might be wrong) and parchment is rather expensive, thus press won't be of much use as there won't be material to write on.
But tech is surely available. It's not really revolutionary after all- piece of wood, ink arranged in certain order... And it'd be useful to print Bible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_printing_in_East_Asia
I think that main problem might be lack of paper- printing on Papyrus is not an option (it's too brittle imo- but I might be wrong) and parchment is rather expensive, thus press won't be of much use as there won't be material to write on.
But tech is surely available. It's not really revolutionary after all- piece of wood, ink arranged in certain order... And it'd be useful to print Bible.
It is not just the paper, but the metallurgy of the type and as well. Gutenbergs crafts background was as a goldsmith. Block printing was well established in Europe his time (there was a veritable cloth printing industry in the Rhineland from the late 12th century on) and paper had been around in quantity for a few hundred years. His type pieces were expertly made from an ideal alloy. That, and some practical screw press adjustments, was his big contribution technology-wise.
Faeelin
Banned
But there's a difference between printed textiles (which the Romans had) and printing books on cloth, which I don't think we're discussing here.
Which society had a feudal science, ever? And Roman latifundia were among the worst, with slavery. And it got even worse later with Christianity, because merchants had to be others.
Of course, if you have no freedom, you can totally invent the world. Well, you're likely to do well with mental tortures of your master and overseers.
Of course, if you have no freedom, you can totally invent the world. Well, you're likely to do well with mental tortures of your master and overseers.
Lucius Verus
Banned
The main problem would probably be "Why do we need such a machine when we have Greek scholar slaves to do it how we want and faster?" way way before any economical printing press came along.
I don't think slaves would do it faster, really. Sure, you'd have to spend a bit of time setting up your printing press, but after that you could crank out pages much faster than a copyist could, and without introducing new errors or textual corruption.
Faeelin
Banned
Romans did innovate and develop new ideas. And the Roman East wasn't really big on latifundia.
Lucius Verus
Banned
Yes but as usual who puts up the money for the upfront cost? The uncertainty of innovation? Anyways without decent metal working and cheap reliable paper, a printing press isn't as economical as it was later. It can happen, but it would be a perfect d20.
Alcsentre Calanice
Gone Fishin'
Romans decide to introduce EU-like bureaucracy.
-> They need a printing press.
-> They need a printing press.
Faeelin
Banned
Is Roman metalworking not up to the task? It's not like the Classical Era didn't have sophisticated goldsmiths.
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That would require a major shift in philosophy by the Church, since its control over access to and interpretation of the Bible was part of its power. Increased literacy among the general population and the availability of personal copies of the Bible in the local language were contributing factors to the Reformation. When anyone can read the Bible, then anyone can interpret it the way they want. When Rome reestablished control over the Celtic Church (however one defines that term), one of its first acts was to order the destruction of all copies of the Bible in the Celtic language.
As for the OP, the real barrier is the availability of cheap paper. Papermaking spread very slowly from China, but IIRC paper manufacturing was well established among the Islamic world by around 800-900 AD, and the first papermaking plant in Europe was built in Islamic Iberia in the tenth century. (Recalling this from memory here, so correct me if I'm wrong.) Linen was a primary source of fiber, so perhaps you could have a TL where an exiled or fugitive papermaker from western China travels the Silk Road in 400-500 AD and settles in linen-rich Egypt.
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god....freyjones
Banned
i guess necessity is the mother of invention.
The Romans wouldn't want non-Romans or barbarians to learn knowledge, and well Romans thought they were superior. So those Persians, Celts, and Marcommanis cannot learn how to build aqueducts, Romans would have nobody to look down upon.
The Romans wouldn't want non-Romans or barbarians to learn knowledge, and well Romans thought they were superior. So those Persians, Celts, and Marcommanis cannot learn how to build aqueducts, Romans would have nobody to look down upon.