When in Ancient Rome… Just invent the Steam Engine already! (article)

Welcome to this deep dive into whether ancient Rome was just a toga party away from sparking its very own Industrial Revolution back in classic history? We’ve dragged Chris, a bona fide expert on Roman social and economic hustle, away from his Roman ruins jigsaw puzzle to debunk some historical myths with us. Spoiler alert: it’s complicated.

Fallacy of Tech Trees: Time for a Reality Check First up, let’s dismantle the idea that history’s like playing Civilization on your console—neat, orderly, and just waiting for you to pick the right tech upgrades. Nope, history’s more like your bedroom during exams—utter chaos. Chris rolls his eyes at the ‘linear tech tree’ concept. According to him, it’s as realistic as a unicorn in a Colosseum.

Dynamic Model of History: It’s Evolution, Baby! Moving on, Chris introduces us to his wild theory that history behaves more like evolution. Forget neat categories; think survival of the fittest, where the fittest might just be those who can build a decent road or two. Ancient Rome adapting to their environment? Check. But gearing up for an industrial party? Let’s see.

The Industrial Revolution: What’s the Big Deal? Chris lays down the markers of the real Industrial Revolution—smog, steam, and the sweet sound of the factory whistle. The big question: was Rome even close? Time to measure up.

Were the Conditions Right?: Rome vs. Britain Now for some historical match-making! How does Rome stack up against pre-industrial Britain? Let’s break it down:

• Political Stability: Rome had as much political stability as a chariot race. Every other week, a new emperor. Britain? A tad more stable, which helps when you’re trying to run factories and not just the Empire.
• Agricultural Surplus: Both nailed this. If only surplus grains could power steam engines!
• Water and Natural Resources: Check and check. Romans built aqueducts like nobody’s business, and they weren’t short on metals either.
• World Views: Ah, the kicker. Romans loved tradition. Innovation? Not so much, unless it involved new ways to conquer neighbours.
• Roman Industrialization: Or Lack Thereof? Now, did ancient Rome get industrial? Kind of, but not in the way you’d hope.
• Human/Animal Power: A+ for effort. Romans were all about that muscle—both human and equine.
• Solar, Geothermal, Hydro, Fire, Steam Power: They used solar to heat their baths, tapped into geothermal spas, and yes, they even played with steam power. But industrial-scale? More steam punk than steam power.
• Metallurgy and Beyond: They got bronze and iron down, made some sweet glass, and their concrete—still standing after millennia. But mass production? Their idea of mass production was building an army, not widgets.

So, Were the Romans About to Revolutionise Industry? Crikes, Rome was innovative, but more in a ‘build-a-bigger-arch’ way than kick-starting an Industrial Revolution. They had some pieces of the puzzle, but the big picture? Not quite there. Maybe if they’d focused less on conquering and more on inventing, we’d all be speaking Latin.