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LANDELS, J.G., Die Technik in der antiken Welt. (Original title: Engineering in the Ancient World). Beck, München, 1978. 276p. Richly ills.(B&W photographs and line drawings). Cloth wrps. Wrps worn. 'Dr. Landels, (...) with the collaboration of colleagues in the Engineering Department of Reading University, has made a number of working replicas of ancient machines and tested them in the field, thus enabling him to provide a thorough and realistic appraisal of Greek and Roman technical skill. The main chapters cover all aspects of power and energy sources - expecially interestign in the present crisis-water wupplies and concomitant engines, cranes, hoists, catapults, and means of transportation. From the beginning the reader is provided with fascinating data. (...) Of particular interest perhaps, is Ch. 8 in which Landels discusses the development of theoretical knowledge from earliest times to the fifth centudy A.D. (...) The last chapter discusses and lists the principal Greek and Roman writes on technological subjects. (...) As Dr. Landels states 'we are all aware of the great achievements of the Greeks and romans in art, culture, philosophy, and regrettably, war, but not so many of us know that they were also considerable engineers.' There is no longer any excuse for this shortcoming! The present book, with its wealth of technical information well illustrated with text figures, is a classic exemaple of the benefits which result from inter-disciplinary studies especially when one and the same scholar has an understanding of the many disciplines involved.' (JOHN F. HEALY on the English original in The Classical Review (New Series), 1980, pp.121-23). € 17.50 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9783406048722