Ancient Greeks created the Antikythera mechanism, a geared astronomical device often described as the first known analog computer.
The mechanism was recovered in 1901 from a Roman-era shipwreck near the Greek island of Antikythera. It consists of corroded bronze gears, plates, and inscriptions housed in a wooden case. Modern imaging has shown that the device represented astronomical cycles through carefully arranged gear trains.
Researchers believe it could model the positions of the Sun and Moon, predict eclipses, and track calendar cycles. Its inscriptions helped explain how the instrument worked and connected it with Greek astronomical knowledge. A rear dial represented the Metonic cycle, a period of about nineteen years used to reconcile lunar months with the solar year; another tracked the Saros eclipse cycle.
The precise maker and original owner are unknown. The device is generally dated to the second or early first century BC. Earlier geared instruments may have existed, but no comparable ancient machine has survived, making the Antikythera mechanism an exceptional example of Hellenistic engineering.