Mechanical Axemen

Mechanical Axemen are the guards of the Library of Alexandria - or the part of it that Lara explores in any case. They carry large axes and shields and wear helmets, but their armour seems entirely decorative as their only weak spot is the large blue crystal embedded in their chests. They slash at Lara with their axes and can move quite quickly after their intended target. Somewhat disconcertingly, they grunt with apparent pain when their crystal is damaged, and they appear to groan when killed - at least, when their crystal is destroyed.

The Mechanical Axeman is one of the best examples of Greek engineering and, possibly, magic. The crystals embedded in their chests appear to give them motive force and the ability to track a target. The crystal appears to have some similarity to the Meteorite Artefacts that appear in Tomb Raider III, but whether it is this or very sophisticated clockwork that provides most of the motive force of the machines is unclear - Lara does not examine them too closely.

Regardless, taking at least the popular conception of robotics into account, the ancient Greeks accomplished far more than modern roboticists have done so far.