Glass production is thought to date to 2500 BC and had found numerous
uses by the height of the Roman Empire. Yet the modern view of
glass-based chemical apparatus (beakers, flasks, stills, etc.) was quite
limited due to a lack of glass durability under rapid temperature
changes and chemical attack. This "brief" gives an overview of the
history and chemistry of glass technology from its origins in antiquity
to its dramatic expansion in the 13th century, concluding with its
impact on society in general, particularly its effect on chemical
practices.