I am happy you liked it ngunn.
As for steam engines, you are right about the comparison, its one early start of technology but it never reached any widespread use, even less mass production. There simply wasnt any market in a slave society.
Well - at least this have been the usual explanation in many textbooks for decades.
The Romans didnt want to buy mass produced gadgets from the Greeks in any case, only exclusive ones!
So I think odave are close to the mark, personally I dont think items like this was for "entertainment at a party" but for status. 'Look at my new cool gadget, and I am the only one who have it!'
And the rich ones bought the philosoper himself! One early example of 'brain drain' that might be one additional explanation why the Greek technology became stillborn.
As for ancient steam engines. No need to go back to King Arthur or the Ming Dynasty to look for steam engines however, they were found earlier than that! yes, the ancient Greek again!
There were a number of 'technology demonstrators' which were no more than a boliling kettele with one offset pipe to let the steam trough. More advance models of their steam engine technology opened the doors of a temple.
Religion was one economic power back then, just like the catholic church of today, perhaps only those could afford this 'super technology'.
I personally think that most people of that day most likely felt uneasy by this tampering with the pure forces of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind and the 'unnatural' transfer of phlogiston in mechanical devices.
But they seems to accepted it for a 'holy' purpose of opening templedoors - or that the gods would at least forgive the sin when the steam engines were used in such a manner.
(Come to think of it this sounds quite similar to what many feels about nuclear power today)
Talking about ancient technology, we also have the electrical batteries from Ur, but I stray from the topics of this forum even for the subdivision of EVA MMU so I stop right here.