Welcome to Alexandria, Egypt, the city of the future. The home to the greatest philosophers, mathematicians, politicians, and culture the world has ever seen. Everywhere you look, you see something education related--the Great Library, the Museum, schools teaching every possible subject--a city truly devoted to the arts. Here the greatest inventors of all time also existed--especially a man by the name of Heron.

Imagine if you can--a splendid university, called the "Museum," extending in a wing away from the Great Library. The greatest teachers of all time walked here, but also, in the less extravagant rooms, inventors flourished. In one of those rooms, a man who's personal life and past is very clouded, works day and night, endlessly experimenting new ideas and designs. Welcome to the life of Heron.

Temples

Heron of Alexandria designed many wonderful things--from the world's first steam engine before it was patented 1500 years later, to a mechanical vending machine. His best customers, though, were the temples.

Heron's greatest invention for the religious instituions was something you wouldn't expect to find the ancient past--automatic doors. When a priest lit a fire on an altar, the heat slowly began to activate a chain reaction of water rising and falling underneath the temple, slowly opening the doors and playing a fanfare as the spectacle fell before the amazed audience's eyes.

He also designed a Holy Water Dispensing Machine--a miracle to the congregation--but simple mechanics for him. A member walked up to the machine, placed a coin inside a slot, and a precise amount of water "blessed by the priests" poured out, washing their hands instantly. It must much more efficient then priests handing out water--and much faster.

Heron didn't just design for the churches--but also for entertainment. He could create whole plays, up to 10 minutes, without requring one second of manpower. To start the play, it was quite simple. He would began to release beans onto a lever, acting the first robotic puppets. After this simple mechanics took over--and the audience was in awe.

Among many other things, Heron was the inventor of the century--and a great writer as well. He recorded all of his marvelous inventions, even though most of his books were lost.

The greatest invention of all, though not used accordingly, was the steam engine. He was this close to starting an Industrial Revolution--just a fraction of an inch away. He recognized his invention, though, as just a toy to marvel at. Never did he realize how it could change the world.

If he had, we would be living in a very different world, one much more advanced then we are today. Who knows where we would be--all thanks to the fabolous Heron of Alexandria.

Of course, history doesn't always turn out as we want it to.