From 8000 BCE to the end of the Hellenistic period, the Greeks developed the art of navigation to such an extent that for centuries they were the dominant power in the Mediterranean. This strength was based on their knowledge of astronomy, which over time also contributed to the development of geography, cartography, open-sea navigation (pelagodromia), and shipbuilding.
Christos D. Lazos (1949–2016) studied engraving at the Athens School of Fine Arts and had been involved in writing books since 1968. Between 1975 and 1981, he served as publisher and editor-in-chief of the popular science magazine Mysteries of the Universe.
Between 1986 and 1989, Christos D. Lazos played an active role in the establishment of the Historical Archive of Greek Youth (IAEN) and contributed to the creation of the Museum of the History of the University of Athens, receiving special mention in the commemorative volume published by the institution.
He was also a member of the COLUMBUS ’92 Committee (1988–1992). In 1992, he became a founding member of the Society for the Study of Ancient Greek Technology (EMAET) and later served as vice president of the exhibition Ancient Greek Technology, organized in Thessaloniki when the city was designated European Capital of Culture in 1997. In 1999, he also contributed to the release of a special CD by the Technical Museum of Thessaloniki dedicated to Ancient Greek Technology.
Lazos was a founding member of the Society for Civic Culture and served as scientific advisor to the “EUREKA” group for the study and promotion of Ancient Greek Technology and its related exhibitions.
His many other activities included the publication of twenty-four books — among them an illustrated volume on ancient Greek games in 2004 — as well as a series of seven documentaries for ERT titled Unknown Greece, focusing primarily on ancient Greek technology and its traces across Greece. In 2004, he also appeared in three documentaries produced by the History Channel, speaking mainly about Archimedes.
In April 2000, he represented Greece at an international conference in Marseille dedicated to Pytheas of Massalia, presenting a paper on the great navigator.
He participated in numerous conferences and gave many interviews to both Greek and international publications.
Twenty of his books are published by our house, sixteen of which focus on ancient Greek technology.
It was also supported by a wide range of nautical instruments, maps, wind charts, and other navigational aids such as the periploi.
For the first time, an attempt is made to present comprehensively these achievements that contributed to the consolidation of the Greek naval tradition—many of which were previously unknown or almost unknown: the compass (;), anemoscope, astrolabes, wind charts, sundials, odometers, celestial spheres, periploi, and stadiasmoi are among these instruments, whose presentation is based on a wealth of scholarly research.