> Sounds ok, but hard to do in practice.  A scaled up version
> of kids frying ants with a magnifying glass ?

Oh, is THAT what they're doing. I always thought they were
just investigating the curious phenomenon of pismiral spontaneous
combustion ;-)
 
> You need to focus on one person at a time, who'll be running
> around rather quickly

You could always do the sails or ropes. Those old wooden ships
would have had easily-ignitable tar/wax/oil. Not forgetting that
the original ships were planked with cedar/cypress, which would
go up a lot quicker than oak

And no reason why some mirros couldn't be used to dazzle the
Roman's archers

==========================

I saw a documentary once in which they tried to re-construct
a full-sized Archimedes Claw

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Inventions.htm

"others they lifted up into the air by an iron hand or beak like a
crane's beak and, when they had drawn them up by the prow, and
set them on end upon the poop, they plunged them to the bottom of
the sea; or else the ships, drawn by engines within, and whirled
about, were dashed against steep rocks that stood jutting out under
the walls, with great destruction of the soldiers that were aboard
them. A ship was frequently lifted up to a great height in the air (a
dreadful thing to behold), and was rolled to and fro, and kept
swinging, until the mariners were all thrown out, when at length it
was dashed against the rocks, or let fall"

It worked (within limits), but outrageously heavy, cumbersome
and not very practical. Much more effective ways to attack a
ship in harbour

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