Automata: machines that imitate the behavior of living things. From Automatoi, the animated statues of animals and men created by the smith god Hephaestus. These examples reflect how, in some cases, people have been thinking about robotics as far back as 8 or 9th century BC.
Khalkotauroi (Bronze-footed Bulls) were two fire-breathing bull-shaped automata forged out of bronze by the smith-god Hephaestos as a gift for Aeetes, king of Kolkhis. When Jason and the Argonauts came to Kolkhis in searh of the Golden Fleece, Aeetes demanded the hero Yoke the bulls and plow field with dragon’s teeth before he would hand over the fleece.
The Khryseiai Keledones or Celedones (Golden Charmers) were beautiful women-shaped automata. Crafted out of gold, they adorned the first temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Kuonkhryseos and Kuonargyreos were a pair of watchdogs, "deathless for ever and unchanging," one of gold, the other of silver, made for the palace of King Alkinous of the Phaiakians, visited by Odysseus (Ody. 7.87).
Kaukasian Eagle was a giant bronze robot, constructed by Hephaestus for the daily task of pecking out chained Titan Prometheus’ regenerating liver, who is punished for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to mankind.
Talos was a giant bronze robot which Hephaestos presented to Europa, Queen of Crete, on her wedding to Minos. The automaton would run around the entire island three times a day, patrolling for pirates whom he would drive off by throwing stones. Some claim that he was actually a bronze man from the bronze generation (mentioned by Plato in his Laws) , for he had one blood vessel that extended from his neck down to his ankles, where it was kept in place by a bronze bolt (Apollodorus 1.140). He was destroyed by Medea from Jason’s ship. Out of range of Telos’ rocks, she invoked the Keres (spirits of death), three times in song, three times in spoken prayer, and then focused her "malignity" on the robot. Then as Telos was picking up a big stone, he grazed his ankle on a sharp rock, "ichor ran from him like molten lead", he stood for a second, "high on the jutting cliff" and then "came down with a resounding crash" (Argonautica 4.1638).
The Tripodes Khryseoi were a set of twenty golden tripods on wheels made by Hephaestos for the Olympian feasts. They were endowed with self-animation and wheeled themselves in and out of the halls as they were required (Iliad 18.371).
The Hippoi Kabeiroi were a pair of fire-breathing horses which Hephaestos cast out of bronze for his sons (the Kabeiroi). Wonder if they could beat Achilles’ immortal horses Balius and Xanthus in a fight.
The Kourai Khryseai were a two lifelike golden maiden automata. They were said to possess intelligence, strength and the gift of speech. They would help Hephaestus with his household.
Several Ancient Greek and Roman sources (Polybius, Plutarch and Pliny the Elder) tell that during the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, Archimedes (mathematician and subject of Hiero II) constructed a burning glass to set fire to the Roman warships, anchored within arrow range. Though it’s often pictured as a large lens, the death ray was probably an assembly of mirrors, as recorded by Anthemius of Tralles (474-534), architect of the Hagia Sophia. Purportedly, Proclus used a similar method in 514 against the ships of Vitellius. The death ray is still considered by many as fiction, TV’s MythBusters were not able to recreate the feat. But after doing some calculations to see if it was possible, the MIT’s 2.0009ers decided to give it a try. Running into some difficulties at first, once the clouds cleared they succeeded in setting fire to 1" thick red oak using only mirrors.