Page 7 - Italian-American Herald - November 2022

HISTORY
for fighting, on top of which was a giant catapult. Twenty rows of oars protruded from the lower level and there was reportedly a promenade lined with flowers and tents for use by the passengers.
Designs of the ship would show it to be comparable to the Titanic from the early 1900s. There were various recreational spaces aboard, including a garden and an indoor bathroom with hot water. The lower levels of the ship were for the crew and the soldiers, while the upper levels were for the use of passengers. Athenaeus also claimed the ship was beautifully decorated using materials such as ivory and marble, while public spaces were paved with mosaics depicting the entire story of the Iliad. The ship was also equipped with a library, a drawing room, and a gymnasium for use by the passengers.
Upon its completion, the Syracusia was sent to Egypt by King Hieron as a gift to
the ruler Ptolemy. When it was time to put her in the water, Archimedes amazed King Hieron once again. He was able to launch the Syracusia single-handedly by using a system of pulleys. His block and tackle pulley system were another of his ingenious inventions which we still use today.
The building of the ship was not the great mathematician’s only contribution to defense
W
systems. Archimedes became known for
his battlefield defense weapons. Sicily was frequently attacked by “foreign” invaders. In 215 BCE, the Roman navy and army attacked Syracuse and, to help citizens defend the city, Archimedes designed various war machines to fight back. Some of these titanic machines seem to have been stone throwers or large crossbows, but ancient historians tell of other inventions. These include the notorious Archimedes Claw, which used a crane and grappling hook to reach down and grab Roman galleys, eventually capsizing them.
His other idea was using mirrors or polished shields to focus sunlight into a point and set fire to wooden ships, an invention commonly referred to as the Archimedes Death Ray. This theory has been tested by students at MIT and they could not produce the referenced results so the reports that this was used as a war machine may have been an embellishment.
In all, Archimedes wrote nine treatises on his assorted studies. Archimedes died around 212/211 BCE during the siege of Syracuse, killed by a Roman soldier despite orders that he should not be harmed.
Centuries later he would influence other great scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo. Da Vinci repeatedly expressed
admiration for Archimedes and attributed his invention Architonnerre to Archimedes. Galileo called him “superhuman” and “my master.”
If you ever get a chance to visit Syracuse, there is a well curated museum on the island of Ortigia (connected by bridges to the city) where you can view and experience firsthand some of his many theories and designs.
Archimedes spent his life in the pursuit of knowledge. His ideas led to the advancement of society and the creation of numerous modern-day amenities. IAH
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