Archimedes

Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor who lived in the third century BC. He is well known for predicting the use of calculus, and discovering an approximation of pi.

While he was in Syracuse, the city was attacked by Rome in the years 213 and 212 BC because it had joined forces with Rome's enemies, Carthage, but the Romans were not faring well. Archimedes was one of the reasons the Romans had not captured Syracuse for one year.

Archimedes is well known for building defenses for his city and other contraptions.
One of his great creations was the Archimedes' screw, which helped move water. It is said that Archimedes created the first laser and used it to burn the ships of the approaching enemies, or blind the crew.

The city was taken after one year during a festival in Syracuse when everybody in the city was partying. Archimedes was slain by a Roman soldier, even though orders were given to keep him alive.