Heron of Alexandria
Over two centuries passed after Eratosthenes, as Rome conquered the world and replaced great philosophers with mighty emperors. But the Greeks were not completely gone. Heron of Alexandria was the byproduct of ancient Greek wisdom and Roman engineering. Born some years before or after Christ, he is described as the greatest experimentalist of antiquity. Bringing a period of mechanical development to a climax by inventing the first steam engine, gear trains, and writing Automata, the first book ever on robotics. He also invented the vending machine, mechanisms for the Greek theatre, the so-called Heron's fountain, and much more.
Source: Durant, Will, 1885-1981, The Life of Greece: A history of Greek government, industry, manners, morals, religion, philosophy, science, literature and art from the earliest times to the Roman conquest. Simon and Schuster, 1939.
Public Domain
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Full disclosure, I may occasionally borrow a sentence from Will Durant's Story of Civilization. I absolutely love that collection!