A Greek named Archytas who lived in the city of Tarentum. Successfully employed the principles essential to rocket flight created by, Archytas. Somewhere around the year 400 B.C., Archytas mystified and amused the citizens of Tarentum by flying a pigeon made of wood. Escaping steam propelled the bird suspended on wires. The pigeon used the action-reaction principle, which was not stated as a scientific law until the 17th century.

http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/education/rocket/TRCRocket/history_of_rockets.html