This chapter traces humanity’s enduring fascination with animating inanimate objects from antiquity through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. It examines the evolution of automata, particularly exemplified by the sophisticated Pratolino automata, which transcended mere mechanical novelties to embody artificial life. This exploration challenges conventional views by illustrating how Renaissance automata served as ideological tools, reinforcing Medici power through a fusion of magical philosophy, astral science, and mechanical innovation. The chapter underscores a continuity from ancient magical traditions to Renaissance mechanical marvels, blurring distinctions between magic and mechanics. Key themes include the transmission of Hermetic wisdom, the development of theurgy within Neoplatonism, and the integration of Arabic magical and philosophical texts into Western intellectual discourse. It concludes by examining medieval Scholastic interpretations of astral images and magical theory, influencing later Renaissance thought.