The most unique sight I visited during the familiarization trip of the Directorate of Tourism of the Region of Attica, was the Museum of Ancient Greek Technology by Kostas Kotsanas. This beautiful historic art-nouveau building in the city center of Athens has hosted a very interesting exhibition since the last January, called “the Hi-tech inventions of the Ancient Greeks”. This exhibition includes approximately 300 operating models from the robot – servant of Philon to the cinema of Heron and from the automatic clock of Ktesibios to the analog computer of Antikythera, based solely on the thorough study of the ancient Greek, Latin and Arabic literature, vase painting information and minimal relevant archeological finds.
The interactive guided tour in the museum site was highly educating as well as entertaining. We were informed in detail about all exhibits, which personally left me literally speechless! I had already known some of them, like the astronomical instruments, the ancient computer of Antikythera as well as some constructions related to military technology in Ancient Greece. For most of them, though, I had no idea…really, who knows that Ancient Greeks had created a robot-servant to serve wine to them? Also, a double jar to serve wine, pure in one side and watered in the other? Or, who knows that telecommunication systems existed since then, along with alarm systems at doors and alarm clocks? In this amazing exhibition it is therefore proven that our ancient predecessors invented extraordinary devices with their high intelligence for the time being, that we actually could have never even imagined!
I consider the specific museum as one of the best I have visited so far and it ought to be included in the must-see sightseeing of Athens after the Acropolis and its Museum. Regardless of whether you are a citizen of Attica or a visitor, Greek or foreigner, a lover of archaeology or not, dedicate a few hours of a day to get a small taste of the life in ancient Greece! And I am convinced that by the end of the tour you won’t believe your own eyes!
The 3-mast crane and details of the hook (right)
The automatic servants of Philon (the first operating robot)
An ancient calculator
A strategy game
The ingenious wine-jug of Philon was a jug from which water, wine or watered-wine, depending on the will of cup-bearer, was poured automatically (top and bottom)
The automatic opening system for the temple gates
An ancient telecommunication system
Military technology
The Antikythera calculating mechanism was the first calculating machine in history. It was used to determine and forecast important astronomical and calendar events
The alarm clock of Plato was the first awakening device in human history
The sound alarm
The mechanism of the first robot of humanity
The «static» automatic theater of Heron of Alexandria (top and bottom)
The hydraulic telegraph of Aeneas
An astronomical instrument
The automatic holy water server with coin-collector
the G.P.S. of the ancient Greeks
The «aeolosphere» of Heron, the first «steam-machine» of history
The art-nouveau facade
The Museum is located on 6, Pindarou & Akadimias str. in Kolonaki, and it is open 09:00-17:00 daily. The normal ticket costs 5€/person. You can visit the official website for more.