M. Porcius Cato Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 The clepsydra on the picture uploaded by MPC is a design of Ctesibius, an inventor from Alexandria commonly described as Greek but, as you can see, with an unimpeacheable Egyptian name. All of this makes me wonder how many of the cultural manifestations that we commonly attribute to Greece or Rome might come from their predecessors. It's difficult to attrbute either Greek or Egyptian culture to Alexandrians; they were neither and both. Massilia was even more of a hodge-podge--Greek, Gaul, and Latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 The idea of a chiming clock is interesting, considering that many people list it as an anachronism when its mentioned in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Waterclocks are also mentioned in Peter James and Nick Thorpe's book 'Ancient Inventions'. It might be worth to check out the book for more information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flavia Gemina Posted July 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Sounds great Flavia Is there any possibility to see a picture of the clock when it's done? Depends on if they decide to make one or not... But even if they do, you'll have to wait at least half a year! Flavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flavia Gemina Posted September 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 (edited) Salvete, omnes! I just got back from Boyana Studios in Bulgaria where they are filming a second series of the BBC TV series based on my books. The set of Ostia they have created is fantastic. Look at the waterclock the designers made after I sent our specifications! It's over six foot tall! Thanks to one and all for your help! Flavia Edited September 29, 2007 by Flavia Gemina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Salvete, omnes! I just got back from Boyana Studios in Bulgaria where they are filming a second series of the BBC TV series based on my books. The set of Ostia they have created is fantastic. Look at the waterclock the designers made after I sent our specifications! It's over six foot tall! Wow! That's some workmanship! Thanks for that sneak peek, FG! -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted September 30, 2007 Report Share Posted September 30, 2007 Salvete, omnes! I just got back from Boyana Studios in Bulgaria where they are filming a second series of the BBC TV series based on my books. The set of Ostia they have created is fantastic. Look at the waterclock the designers made after I sent our specifications! It's over six foot tall! Thanks to one and all for your help! Flavia Congratulationis, FG! It seems like you had a nice and productive trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted September 30, 2007 Report Share Posted September 30, 2007 Salve Lady Flavia That is really a beautiful work of art that you had a hand in. My understanding is that there was one in the Tower Of The Winds at Athens, also called Horologion and Weather Station: ~~ http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/t...RevettTower.jpg Attributed to Andronicus Cyrrhestes 48 BC, it was some 26 feet in diameter and 47 feet high with a weather vane centered on top. It contained a Water Clock (clepsysdra) driven by water coming down from the Acropolis. There were also nine sundials. I wonder where they were, as they had to be on the roof to be effective. . . .? According to my source IMPERIAL FORM (History of Architecture) by Christopher Tadgell: The frieze at the top represented each of the winds from the points of the compass addressed by the sides. The weather-vane turned by the wind to point to the appropriate relief with his staff, was a bronze Triton pivoted on a Corinthian capital the the apex. The Octoganal sides each had one of the wind dieties ~~ Boreas (N), Kaikias (NE), Eurus (E), Apeliotes (SE), Notus (S), Lips (SW), Zephyrus (W), and Skiron (NW). So once again where were the 9-sundials as eight sides yields only 8 corners to accomodate sundials upon? Tadgell says that in 48 B.C. Andronicus Cyrrhestes was "probably initiating work on the new agora commissioned by Julius Caesar at that time" Very nice, even the windows seen in the background have the triangularly leaded(?) partitioned form that came down to us from the Romans and are seen in all courts and government buildings which in that way pay respects to Rome. Like the link above to the Tower of Winds, I only get an opportunity to see these great things in Pictures. For me that's enough. One picture, though, I haven't yet been able to find: The hinges of the doors to the Pantheon. I'm hoping. . . Salvete! ps: as a builder I can imagine your pride! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted September 30, 2007 Report Share Posted September 30, 2007 Not really what I had in mind but it's beautiful! Faustus, the tower of winds have already been discusses here, nice information though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted September 30, 2007 Report Share Posted September 30, 2007 Not really what I had in mind but it's beautiful! Faustus, the tower of winds have already been discusses here, nice information though. Salve Klingan, (first contact is made) Thank you for your comments. As one painfully aware of economics lessons, I would never want to haul coal to Newcastle; worse still would be to haul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted September 30, 2007 Report Share Posted September 30, 2007 Salve again to all, and especially Klingan, I followed all your comments, and of course came across the Sundial information. The concave sundial configuration lends itself to a limestone carving for my patio which already has a Roman fountain. Note to all: recirculating fountains require a certain amount of cleaning because silt even from the air as well as from impurities in the water tends to slow it's circulation. Mine was intended to dampen neighborhood noises from pets and the like (as well as to pander to my weakness for things Roman) so I can be selective about when and how much I operate it. But what appeals to me about the sundial in Klingan's link (The Leicester hemicyclium) is that it is hollowed out as a cavity so as to minimize the distortion of the gnomen's shadow from all angles of the sun, and even months and seasons can be accurately delineated. An ordinary sundial has no appeal to me but one like that in your post does, and I have just the block of pure white limestone to make it happen. Water clocks have a lot of "Classical" (or is it Romantic?) appeal but this special sundial has some chance of coming into actual fruition for me. It's a beautiful thing, yet simple. I did some work with sunporches facing south with glass ceilings in the 80's and already can anticipate some of the angular problems involved, as I've experimented with gnomens. Preparing the cavity and gnomen (which might need be attached and not intetral) would come first, then marking the gradients would come second, with the etching of lines last. A very interesting project to design and build. Valete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 I must admit that I didn't notice it when I was looking through the pages back then. The design is most clever if it's working as I (In this 7.45 am state of mind) think it does. Actually it's interesting enough for me to see if I can find something more on the subject as soon as possible. I didn't even know that they existed when I was writing my paper last year so it's kinda confusing me how I could miss them. Ps. I would say Classical appeal Btw the way I know I'm going way off topic here but exactly how much is your fountain effected by the impurity in the water, how good/bad is the quality of the water is and if you would like to where you live (The kind of bedrock there is in your area matters). Any information on how much you need to clean it would be great too. For anyone wondering I'm writing my candidature essay on roman water systems inside the cities at the moment that's why I'm so interested (Except for my normal interest of course). This might be a good point for a split topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Manicus Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 For whatever it's worth I recently saw an episode of "Ancient Discoveries" on The Antikythera Mechanism. They spent a lot of time giving a back history of mechanical inventions in Ancient Greece, focusing mainly on water clocks. You may find it of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 For whatever it's worth I recently saw an episode of "Ancient Discoveries" on The Antikythera Mechanism. They spent a lot of time giving a back history of mechanical inventions in Ancient Greece, focusing mainly on water clocks. You may find it of interest. Ah that sounds great I'm defiantly going to look that up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Btw the way I know I'm going way off topic here but exactly how much is your fountain effected by the impurity in the water, how good/bad is the quality of the water is and if you would like to where you live (The kind of bedrock there is in your area matters). Any information on how much you need to clean it would be great too. For anyone wondering I'm writing my candidature essay on roman water systems inside the cities at the moment that's why I'm so interested (Except for my normal interest of course). This might be a good point for a split topic. Salve, Klingan: look for my pm you on this. . . Faustus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Thanks alot that helps me a great deal! If you need any help let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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