Classical Weapons of Destruction

On the subject of Ancient Gunpowder and other such weapons, I wonder if Gunpowder or a effective equialent could arise in Ancient Greece and change the face of warfare in the region.

Air Cannons: Ctesibius (282-22BC) is regarded as the father of the science of compressed air, creating many pump machines, and it is even said thathe created a sort of air cannon. Are these claims possible? If so bound by physics is it possible to be improved upon and what military applications are possible? Perhaps Air Guns?

Greek Fire: Greek fire was invented in 7th century, by a certain Lebanese Christian, but such forms of flamethrower weaponry have previously been used, is it possible that the Greek Fire formula becomes more widespread amongst the various powers?

Everything Archimedes: Archimedes is the most well known inventor from Claws to Heat Rays, is it possible that if he survived that he could have invented more and his weapons become more in use? One fictional book (the Lost Legion by H. Warner Munn) postulates that he worked on steam and hydraulics, where in the book a hydraulic gun was created to sucess (before it exploded, and in the words of the book itself the death of the Roman Legionaire-Would-Be-Inventor was a good thing because it forestalled the Steam Revolution and saved many lives). How would Steam Power effect the Roman Empire I wonder....

Polybolos: The Repeating Balista, what if its Driven Chain was used for smaller versions of itself in the form of Repeating Crossbows>?
 
Polybolos: The Repeating Balista, what if its Driven Chain was used for smaller versions of itself in the form of Repeating Crossbows>?
I am fairly sure you need a number of metallurgy advances to me this work. So not going to happen in a vacuum.
 
I am fairly sure you need a number of metallurgy advances to me this work. So not going to happen in a vacuum.

The mechanisms involved were well winthin the reach of ancient craftsmen. I think the bigger problem is their usefulness. With muscle-powered weapons, you can have power or rate of fire, but not both.
 

Sir Chaos

Banned
Beyond gunpowder... I think the steam engine would have been within the means of ancient craftsmen to build, and someone named Heron of Alexandria actually built a prototype, although more as a toy than as a useful machine.
 
Well about Greek fire....... No way in Hell the Byzantines would give up the secret so scratch that, however I do remember that in China gunpowder was around so maybe some idiot discovers that hey maybe we can use these rockets for war in say 500 a.d this creating cannons and early guns, think the Chinese with guns and cannons 500 a.D!!!!!! Think of how far they'll get when Europeans arrive in the 17th and 19th centuries.
 
What might have been was combining Greekfire or some incendiary fluid with gunpowder. The Soviets had a flamethrower called the LPO-50. This took the WWII flamethrowers to the next level. Instead of using pressuerized gas to eject the fuel, the LPO-50 ignited a blackpowder charge into the fuel tank and this forced the burning fuel out with much greater force.

This flamethrower was itself based on a Soviet WWII flame fougasse mine FOG-1. This was basically a drum of fuel buried in the ground with a blackpowder charge and a nozzel. So instead of using human powered pumps like the Byzantines or Chinese, they could have used the much more effective gunpower charge to achieve a dramatically superior effect.
 
What might have been was combining Greekfire or some incendiary fluid with gunpowder. The Soviets had a flamethrower called the LPO-50. This took the WWII flamethrowers to the next level. Instead of using pressuerized gas to eject the fuel, the LPO-50 ignited a blackpowder charge into the fuel tank and this forced the burning fuel out with much greater force.

This flamethrower was itself based on a Soviet WWII flame fougasse mine FOG-1. This was basically a drum of fuel buried in the ground with a blackpowder charge and a nozzel. So instead of using human powered pumps like the Byzantines or Chinese, they could have used the much more effective gunpower charge to achieve a dramatically superior effect.

There is the theory that that's what original Seafire siphons did, because it certainly looks like incendiary liquids weren't very secret.
 
flamethrower tech was used very early in greek history already, like 9th century bc (just check wikipedia)
 
I am fairly sure you need a number of metallurgy advances to me this work. So not going to happen in a vacuum.
Like this:
Zhugenu-payne.jpg


I would like to see a Greek repeating crossbow. It would only be of use against lightly or unarmored opponents.

IMHO, air cannon won't happen. I don't think generating and storage would allow enough pressure for any real damage. OTOH, i think steam cannon could be made to work, but i don't think they would offer any advantages over already existing heavy weapons while having some extra disadvantages and probably less power. Maybe a higher firing rate.

Beyond gunpowder... I think the steam engine would have been within the means of ancient craftsmen to build, and someone named Heron of Alexandria actually built a prototype, although more as a toy than as a useful machine.
The aeolipile was and is a joke. It does not demonstrate that the Greeks were capable of building an engine of any practicality. Use the board's Search function and you will find many relevent threads.
 
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