[Dean Baker]

Just a simple question that popped into my simple mind. :)

[ElkGroveDan]

Here’s your answer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYkIdbdQQmE

[Constitution Day]

The early wheel: Solid, wooden and round versus spoked, wooden and round?

Turn page paper alert?

[squireofgothos]

This is an interesting article that might help—

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=33168

If anything— it is certainly a genuine wheel from ages past

[cripplecreek]

I would assume that solid came first. Spokes would be lighter but I suspect that there would be a lot more work involved in making them.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I dunno, but I want Ben Hur wheels.

[evets]

Ask the 'inventor' Al Gore:

[chrisser]

IIRC, there were solid wheels in specific applications (cannons on ships, for example) hundreds of years later.

Not sure if that speaks to which came first, but the existance of one would not infer total replacement of the other.

[Yo-Yo]

A spoked wheel requires a lathe to turn the spokes. Definately not easy or cheap in Biblical times.

Spoked wheels are much lighter but I would have to guess that they were extremely expensive.

Solid wheels would have been much cheaper, and capable of carrying heavier loads as well.

[truth_seeker]

You’ll have to ask the spokesperson.

[Sherman Logan]

FWIW, “Gladiator” is set about 150 years after Christ died.

[RightWhale]

The development of the axle is much more interesting. When did the wheel bearing come about and how was it lubricated?

[KarlInOhio]

According to wikipedia the first spoked wheels were invented about 2000 BC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel

[martin_fierro]

More like rolling pins.

[tophat9000]

I just Gladiator again last night.. they had carts with solid wooden wheels in it

[Red_Devil 232]

Try this link

The Wheel

[tophat9000]

I just saw Gladiator again last night.. they had carts with solid wooden wheels in it

[Popocatapetl]

Years ago, the Smithsonian postulated that the Egyptian pyramids were built much more rapidly and with far less manpower by using eight wooden bowstring arches held together with pins to turn the square blocks into a thick axle with two “wheels”. Like if you put two rubber tires on the ends of a rectangular block.

Then all they had to do was make a dirt ramp, a very old technology, around the pyramid and roll the blocks up it. Finally, when the capstone was emplaced, remove the dirt and you have a fully formed pyramid.

[JoeSixPack1]

Spoked wheels have the ability to be “trued”.
Solid wheels warp and are simply discarded.

[Fresh Wind]

The invention of the square wheel made shopping carts possible.

[magslinger]

I'm not sure of this, but don't wooden spoked wheels require iron tires?

If true, that would make spoked wheels beyond the reach of anyone but the military or the wealthy. Metal of any type was very expensive at the time.