What were the most luxurious inventions of Ancient Greece? The Ancient Greeks were known for their sophisticated dinner banquets, the philosophers’ symposia (with plenty of Greek wine), and pagan rituals related to the God Dionysus which usually involved drinking and dancing.
If you owned a luxury villa in Ancient Greece, you had access to all the latest luxury technology, and it was made possible by the genius engineering of Ancient Greek inventors. What were the best luxury inventions of the Greeks in Ancient Greece?
1. Walk-in Shower
The Ancient Greeks built the first walk-in shower that was continually flowing with water. Of course, most Ancient Greeks would bathe in a river if they could, so walk-in showers weren’t necessary. However, wealthy homes started to build their own private, comfortable showers to show off the power they had to control fresh water. Later on, cities in Ancient Greece made public showers for all citizens.
2. Alarm System
The first time an alarm system was invented was in Ancient Greece by Heron of Alexandria. He installed it on the gates and windows of his house, and it used a trumpet and a vase full of water. The trumpet was tied onto a pole. When the door opened, the pole was pushed aside, so the trumpet fell into the vase. Because of the pressure difference, the air exited through the trumpet and let out a loud sound.
3. Automatic Doors
Heron of Alexandra was so famous in Ancient Greece that he invented other luxury items. He created the first automatic doors. This miracle of engineering needed fire, water, scales, and levers. The water was heated, and the steam moved a special scale.
The movement of the scale pushed a lever, which then pushed the doors open. When the heating stopped, the doors closed again. While automatic doors probably weren’t used in homes, but in public settings, it was remarkable that the Greeks could engineer something like this.
4. Underfloor Heating
Imagine standing in a luxury villa in Ancient Greece and feeling heat coming from under your feet. This is usually a luxury feature even today, and the Ancient Greeks were famous for creating the first underfloor heating system. The first underfloor heating system was in the Ancient Greek temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Hot air traveled through pipes under the floor, and heat spread across the luxurious rooms, leading to a great barefoot experience.
The weather in Greece in the days of Ancient Greece was more mild, so underfloor heating was likely a big benefit in the winter.
5. The “Wine Robot”
If you were part of aristocracy in Ancient Greece, wine and philosophy was surely a part of your life. If you were particularly wealthy, you even could buy a robot to pour wine for you. The Ancient Greeks used to mix wine with water, and the inventor named Philon invented a robot that would automatically mix water and wine for you.
The “robot” looked like a statue of a female servant, and in her right hand, she held a jug of wine. (Really, there was no wine in the jug, but a tube connected a tank of wine in her stomach to the end of her right hand, where the opening of the jug would be). A visitor could put a cup in the palm of her hand, and then the “robot” would fill it alternatively with water and wine. The usual proportions were three parts water to one part wine.
6. Automatic Wine-Filler
This special jug was more economical compared to having your own robot. It was also designed by Philon (we imagine he must have loved his wine), and it was created to pour wine automatically. The jug was separated into compartments with water and wine. By placing your finger on a hole on the side of the jug, you could control which came out of the jug: water or wine.
The systems were more complex, however, than just stopping the flow of the liquid with your finger. Depending on the holes you covered, the distribution of air inside would change, and a different liquid would come out (sometimes water, sometimes wine, and sometimes a mix of water and wine).
