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Fact #42
July 21, 2026

Ancient Greece Built the World's First Known Analog Computer

More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks created a hand-powered mechanical device capable of predicting solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, the phases of the Moon, and even the movements of the planets. Today it's known as the Antikythera Mechanism. It contains more than 30 precisely crafted bronze gears. It performed complex astronomical calculations centuries before mechanical clocks even existed.
LOUISA GOULIAMAKI

Mini Facts

1

The mechanism was built around 100-200 BCE, making it over two millennia old.

2

It could predict eclipses using the 223-month Saros cycle, a pattern still used by astronomers today.

3

X-ray scans revealed thousands of tiny Greek inscriptions that acted as an instruction manual for its user.

4

Nothing as mechanically sophisticated would appear again for roughly 1,000 years, making it one of archaeology's greatest technological surprises.

Sources & References

How the Secrets of an Ancient Greek ‘Computer’ Were RevealedThe World’s Oldest Computer: The Antikythera MechanismHow the Ancient Greeks Constructed the World’s First Mechanical ComputerThe World’s First Computer Sank 2,000 Years Ago. Science Finally Solved One of Its Biggest Mysteries.