Gary Coffman wrote:



Rolling mills (though not railroad rail rolling mills) have been around
since at least the second century AD. The ancients were as smart
as we are. We've found ancient machines, instruments, even batteries,
that rival anything from the industrial age. But in ancient times the
technology didn't spread far beyond the shops of its inventors.

Batteries? Care to expand on that statement? (Assuming you are talking about
something earlier than Leydan jars.)

Joe