History of Europe

How much Coca-Cola and Durex owe Heron of Alexandria!

It is difficult, at first glance, to relate Coca-Cola and Durex, as representative figures of beverages and condoms marketed throughout the world, with a Hellenistic mathematician who lived during the 1st century... but not impossible.

In addition to the success of the product itself and the massive marketing and advertising campaigns, the fact of being able to drink a Coca-Cola anywhere in the world and, above all, at any time, and being able to buy a condom for an emergency, we owe it to to Heron of Alexandria .

Hero of Alexandria

Heron of Alexandria (a city in the Roman province of Egypt) was a Hellenistic engineer and mathematician who stood out for his inventions related to mechanics. In addition to the first steam engine (the aeolipile), Heron's fountain (hydraulic machine), he also invented the first vending machine in history .

Its mechanism was very simple:inserting a coin through the upper part, it fell on a lever that made a piston go up, letting out a certain amount of... holy water .

Thanks to Heron you can have a Coca-Cola at 3 in the morning in the square of a lost town, buy some chewing gum at 2 in the afternoon in the subway, get a condom for an emergency…