rtrapasso
Posts: 22653
Joined: 9/3/2002 Status: offline
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80 BC Battle of the Baetis River - Democratic rebel forces under Quintus Sertorius defeat the legal Roman forces of Lucius Fulfidias in Spain, starting the Sertorian War, Quintus Metellus Pius takes command on behalf of Sulla. Ptolemy XII Auletes succeeds Ptolemy XI Alexandros II to the throne of Egypt. Alexandria comes under Roman jurisdiction. Meleager publishes his Garland, the earliest known anthology of Greek poetry. The Antikythera mechanism, a complex bronze orrery (astronomical computing machine) of great accuracy, based on an intricate system of 24 gears and 13 axles, is built. It contains the first known differential gear and has sometimes been called the first computer. Its existence was revealed in 1901 when it was found by Greek sponge divers in a wreck off the island of Antikythera, although it was not explained until 75 years later by Derek de Solla Price. See also 1900 ce Tools. Gaius Sergius Orata begins to purchase neglected villas and to install a version of his home heating system, called the hypocausum. The system uses a series of tanks propped up on short brick posts; a fire on one side of each tank warms it, and hot air from the tank circulates beneath the floors, warming the house. Orata also invents the balnae pensiles, raised bathrooms that are heated by means of ducts under the floor. He then resells the villas for vastly more than they cost him to acquire and modify. Similar systems are soon installed at public baths throughout Italy, but Orata is sued by his customers for "price gouging."
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