For all the derision of ancient people, so many people forget that they not only did not have the advantage we do of building on other people work and knowledge base, they were the ones who discovered/created that knowledge base.
The genius it takes to figure out geometry and calculus and to build stuff we cannot fathom how they did it without machinery and calculators, etc, puts us to shame.
In ancient times, those who experimented and generally followed their version of the scientific method, tended to keep their research to themselves, and not proclaim it to the Unwashed much less to other possibly competing experimenters. It is disclosure that is a modern invention.