Ep 3. Ancient Greek Tech

Ancient Top 10 is a fascinating documentary series that takes viewers on a journey through history, exploring some of the most intriguing and innovative technological achievements of ancient civilizations. In Season 1, Episode 3, the focus falls on Ancient Greek Tech.

Throughout history, the Ancient Greeks have been credited with a great many scientific and technological advancements, and this episode sets out to explore the top 10 of them. From medicine to architecture, warfare to transport, the Greeks made important contributions to all manner of fields.

The episode begins by delving into ancient medicine. Viewers learn about the Hippocratic Oath, which is still taken by doctors today, and how the ancient Greeks made great strides in developing medicinal treatments for everything from headaches to snakebites. Then, the show moves on to explore the ingenuity of Greek architects, who were responsible for some of the most impressive buildings and structures of their time, such as the Parthenon in Athens.

Next up, Ancient Top 10 turns its attention to warfare. Ancient Greece was a society in which battles and war were a fact of life, and the show explores how this drove the Greeks to devise ever more advanced weaponry. From the long spear known as the sarissa, to the incredibly advanced steam-powered "aeolipile", viewers discover how ancient Greek tech facilitated the improvement of the country's military might.

Transportation was another area that evolved significantly in Ancient Greece, and the episode examines how the Greeks improved on existing methods of transportation and communication. Ancient Top 10 explores the evolution of ships, how the Greeks used horseback riding—the "taxi service of the ancient world"—and the development of the earliest postal systems.

Of course, no exploration of Ancient Greece would be complete without a dive into their artistic accomplishments. The episode takes time to appreciate the excellence of Greek sculpture, as well as their advances in the field of sound and music; Did you know that there is still a melody that we know was actually played in Ancient Greece?

Finally, Ancient Top 10 looks at one of the most well-known Greek technological achievements: the Antikythera Mechanism. This ancient analog computer served as a lunar and solar calendar as well as a tool for predicting eclipses. Viewers learn about the significance of this mechanism, how it was discovered, and its impact even today as an incredibly advanced example of ancient Greek precision engineering.

As ever with Ancient Top 10, this episode takes viewers on an informative and engaging journey that highlights how far ahead of their time ancient Greek tech really was. From medicine to astronomy, architecture to music, the Greeks paved the way for many of the technical innovations that make our lives easier today.