Automata of Alexandria
The Alexandrian School inherited from a long tradition dating back to the 6th century BC with Thales, Pythagorus and Euclid, who provided inspiration for the illustrious mechanists.
Of the above, Ctesibius is generally considered to be the founder of the Mechanical School in Alexandria.
He explored new areas, carried out research into wind instruments and the basic principles of mechanics, such as the elasticity of air, the incompressibility of water, and transmission and reduction ratio mechanisms. He is attributed with the invention of the suction and force pump and the hydraulic organ.
Philon of Byzantium worked on pneumatics, clepsydras, automata, incredible instruments, and war machines. His research into the nature of air, how it interacts with water and vacuum, the equilibrium of liquids in communicating vessels, and siphons, led him to create some extraordinary objects with neither screws nor springs, just levers and skillfully drilled tubes.
Fountain with figure and animal by Philon of Byzantium. This was activated by water.
Three centuries later, Heron of Alexandria drew up a summary of the mechanical research carried out by his predecessors. His treatise on Mechanics covers lifting and traction devices and attempts to develop a theory of simple machines. He reviews all the problems relating to gear reduction and ratio and quotes a number of new inventions, such as presses (screw presses, screw and lever presses, lever and winch presses...).
He was trying to give a human or an animal forms to the automata and made their movements or acts always very simple. In this manner, he interested the reader and, at the same time, allowed him to understand the physical difficulties and to remember them more easily.
Theorem XI: build an altar in such a way that, when we set fire over, statues which are on sides make libations.