[_yb2s]

I think most (but not all) such things actually did work, and were based on real evidence, we just don’t have easy access to that evidence and context anymore. It is quite likely that modern people are just arrogantly dismissing something they don’t understand.

[Dalewyn]

Whenever we get the inkling to belittle our ancestors, we need to remember that we are nowhere as capable as they were.

Men today cannot build the Great Pyramids of Giza or invent Greek Fire, Roman Concrete, or Damascus Steel like the men of millenia past have.

Our only solace lies in the brutal fact that we invented the internet with which we can shitpost someone on the other side of the world. That is one thing our ancestors did not have and our successors will never surpass.

[rendall]

I agree with your general point that we are in no way inherently superior to our ancestors, but Roman concrete, Damacus steel, and Greek fire are inferior to what we have today to accomplish the same things.

Practical Engineering on Roman concrete. The TL;DR is that we are far more advanced. https://youtu.be/qL0BB2PRY7k?si=kqiyxOTLBQw9h4_F

We do know how to make Damascus steel: https://youtube.com/shorts/1DNWLZ8IiMQ?si=c4-Ch7C3Q_6zcYoi

This fellow says we don't know how to make the historical Greek fire but acknowledges we can make identical substances: https://youtube.com/shorts/wiHXE6lhLmo?si=OPEjW40cck5aQAsv

We could build the Great Pyramid today using modern methods in 5 years using 2000 workers and $5 billion USD vs historical 20 years and 10s of thousands of workers: https://www.livescience.com/18589-cost-build-great-pyramid-t...