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Ancient Romans Carried Portable Sundials


Claire.

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Early Tech Adopters in Ancient Rome Had Portable Sundials

It’s the four or fifth century and you’re a wealthy, cosmopolitan Roman sightseeing across the empire, or perhaps an armchair traveler entertaining other well-educated friends for dinner. What could you pull out to impress your companions? One good option would be a geographical portable sundial, the closest Romans got to an iPhone.

These sundials were designed to tell time on the go—but it turns out they really excelled at being a snazzy gadget. Many were made of shiny bronze, they sat comfortably in a hand, and it took real technical knowledge to use them properly. There are about a dozen examples known today, each with a cheat sheet of coordinates for using the device in specific places.

Read more: Smithsonian.com

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I was looking for my usual witty image, but these actually look pretty swanky...

51OBkPlm84L.jpg

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