AHC: Earliest plausible discovery of Electricity

What do you think could be the earliest time period when Electricity at least to the level of the Voltaic Pile and maybe a few other simple early uses, like dissociation of water and wired telegraphy with electromagnets could plausibly be put to use?

I have the impression that basic direct current electricity and the chemical battery isn't too hard to discover once you have at least basic metalsmithing and you somehow figure out how to make current flow, actually it seems to be less big of a deal than the Watt steam engine, but I once read an opinion here that some kind of mechanical-driven industrial revolution, like the OTL age of steam is first required, since hand-made electric wire, like that which was used to make medieval chain mail and pendants was too impure to act as a good conductor.


What do you think, what time period and culture could first discover electricity at least to a 1800-1820s level and how would it alter the course of history?
 
Well based on the history of the Voltaic pile I think it would be possible to build one in Roman times but the lack of pure zinc would probably limit its use to a novelty. I doubt there would be much understanding of the forces behind it though.
 
Well based on the history of the Voltaic pile I think it would be possible to build one in Roman times but the lack of pure zinc would probably limit its use to a novelty. I doubt there would be much understanding of the forces behind it though.

Really understanding how electricity works requires a knowledge of quantum physics, but in OTL we managed to develop many uses for it with Ben Franklin figuring out charges, but in reverse (interestingly, Franklin's theory would be correct if we were living in an antimatter-universe) and even the early radio pioneers believing in the "luminiferous aether".
 
one theory about the Baghdad Battery is, obviously, that it was a primitive battery that could hold an electrical charge, but i'm not sure how credible that is
 
one theory about the Baghdad Battery is, obviously, that it was a primitive battery that could hold an electrical charge, but i'm not sure how credible that is

It could have been used to shock people who touched it as part of a "religious experience" or something along those lines.
 
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