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Where, and by whom, was the mechanism made?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of When was the mechanism made?·4 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: made for, or in, Epirus or north-west Greece, where the calendar fits bestAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Four answers have been proposed. Made for, or in, Epirus or north-west Greece, where the calendar fits best. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

No maker is named. The calendar's dialect, the lunar theory and ancient literary references each point somewhere different⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 4

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Most likely
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Freeth et al. puts forward: made on Rhodes, in the tradition of Hipparchus and Posidonius.
  2. Freeth et al.: the lunar anomaly device embodies Hipparchus's theory and Cicero places a planetary device with Posidonius on…For: Made on Rhodes, in the tradition of Hipparchus and Posidonius.
  3. Freeth et al. puts forward: made in Syracuse or another Corinthian colony, in the tradition of Archimedes.
  4. Freeth et al.: the month names are Corinthian, not Rhodian.Against: Made on Rhodes, in the tradition of Hipparchus and Posidonius.
  5. Freeth et al.: the Metonic dial's month names belong to the Corinthian family and the 2008 authors suggested Corinth's…For: Made in Syracuse or another Corinthian colony, in the tradition of Archimedes.
  6. Iversen puts forward: made for, or in, Epirus or north-west Greece, where the calendar fits best.
  7. Iversen: iversen's comparison finds the names fit north-west Greece better than Syracuse.Against: Made in Syracuse or another Corinthian colony, in the tradition of Archimedes.
  8. Iversen: iversen's 2017 study argues the month names match the Epirote branch of the Corinthian family.For: Made for, or in, Epirus or north-west Greece, where the calendar fits best.
  9. Asked on this site
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