Hero of Alexandria

Hero of Alexandria (c. 152-82 BCE or 10-70 CE), also known as Hiero, Hieron or Heron, was a Greek Inventor, Mathematician, Physicist, Engineer who lived in Alexandria, Egypt.
Hero was probably a Tutor at the ‘Musaeum of Alexandria‘ (Like a modern University), which included the Library of Alexandria, since most of his writings appear to be lecture notes. He was influenced by Ctesibius.

The ‘Aeolipile’:
- The World’s first steam engine
The ‘WindWheel’ (Windmill)
- A device which operated an Organ
A Vending Machine
- The World’s first coin operated Vending Machine
A Mechanical Theatre
- A Mechanically operated Theatre Show which lasted 10 minutes, a rotating cogwheel operated ropes and pulleys and produced sounds like thunder.
A Fire Engine
- The Fire Engine was based on Pumps that forced water to squirt out of a pipe.
A Syringe
- For the controlled release of liquids or air.
Hero's Fountain
- This was a water fountain that functioned without any aid. It was not a Perpetual Motion machine as the top basin had to be constantly replenished.

‘The Principle of the Shortest Path of Light’
- This theory was formulated by Hero.
‘Heron’s Formula’
- for calculating the area of a triangle.
‘An Imaginary Number’
- This is a number whose square is less than or equal to zero. Hero first noted this whilst calculating a Pyramidal Frustrum.

Pneumatica
- on machines operated by air, steam and water pressure
Automata
- on machines for Temples, for example, opening Doors and pouring wine with no visible means of operation.
Mechanica
- on lifting devices for Architects
Metrica
- on how to calculate surfaces and volumes
On the Dioptra
- on methods of measuring length
Belopoeica
- on War Machines
Catoptrica
- on light, reflection and mirrors