Show HN: The Roman Industrial Revolution that could have been

This is a proof-of-concept comic book that asks: What if knowledge from 2025 reached Rome and kicked off an industrial revolution?

The story follows two voices: - Ulysses, a present-day archaeologist who finds a glowing slate in the dig site. - Marcus, an educated household slave in 79 AD who replies on that slate.

Why I’m posting:

I’d love narrative feedback. – Does the story make sense? – Are Ulysses and Marcus believable? – Which directions would you explore next (politics, tech, moral fallout)?

What’s live today - First issue, 25 rough pages. - No paywall; just a PDF.

Next steps

Regular releases toward a 8 or 10 issues collection. I’ll revise based on your critiques and wild speculations.

Grateful for any thoughts on pacing, historical plausibility, or character depth.

Thanks for reading!


Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44253083

Points: 8

# Comments: 6

https://thelydianstone.com/

Created 1mo | Jun 12, 2025, 2:10:12 AM


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