Claw of Archimedes Claw of Archimedes The Claw (, "harpágē", "snatcher") of Archimedes (also known as the "iron hand") was an ancient weapon devised by Archimedes to defend the seaward portion of Syracuse's city wall against amphibious assault. Although its exact nature is unclear, the accounts of ancient historians seem to describe it as a sort of crane equipped with a grappling hook that was able to lift an attacking ship partly out of the water, then either cause the ship to capsize or suddenly drop it. These machines featured prominently during the Second Punic War in 214 BC, when the Roman Republic
Garden of Archimedes was reintroduced to Medieval Europe. Helping Nature: from Galileo's Mechanics to everyday life is an interactive exhibit showing how Galileo used mathematics to reveal the working of simple machines. Weapons of mass education features mathematically based games and puzzles. Other historical sections include A short history of calculus, A short history of trigonometry, Ancient mathematics through stamps, and Pink Numbers – Women and Mathematics. Garden of Archimedes The Garden of Archimedes (Italian: "Il Giardino Di Archimede") is a museum for mathematics in Florence, Italy. It was founded on March 26, 2004 and opened its doors to the public on April