Camera obscura is a very old device. Oldest mention of its effect is by Mozi, Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohism, during the 5th century BC. He noticed that an image from camera obscura is flipped upside down and from left to right as a result of light’s moving in straight line. The Greek philosopher Aristotle noticed in 4th century that light from a sun eclipse that passes through holes between the leaves, projects an image of an eclipsed sun on the ground. Passing of light in the straight line also noticed Euclid 4th century BC and Theon of Alexandria in 4th century AD. Anthemius of Tralles, which designed the Hagia Sophia, used a type of camera obscura in his experiments in 6th century. Al-Kindi, Arab philosopher, mathematician, physician, and musician, performed experiments with light and a pinhole in 9th century and proved again behavior of light.

All these scientists experimented with a small hole and light but none of them suggested that a screen is used so an image from one side of a hole in surface could be projected at the screen on the other. First one to do so was Alhazen (also known as Ibn al-Haytham) in 11th century. He was a scientist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher, he wrote the Book of Optics and, among other things, he invented camera obscura and pinhole camera. At about the same time, Chinese scientist Shen Kuo experimented with a camera obscura. He described it geometrically and even used it explain some effects that were mentioned couple centuries ago but were attributed to the geographic characteristics of the area. As described by Roger Bacon, English philosopher, camera obscura was used in 13th century for safe observation of sun eclipse. Arnaldus de Villa Nova, an alchemist, astrologer and physician, used camera obscura at the same time as a projector for entertainment. Artists started using camera obscura in 15th century. Leonardo da Vinci talks about camera obscura in his “Codex Atlanticus”, a twelve-volume bound set of his drawings and writings where he also talked about flying machines, weaponry and musical instruments. Giambattista della Porta, Italian scholar, improved camera obscura by adding it a lens at the place where light enters the box. He also used camera obscura to explain how human eye works. German astronomer Johannes Kepler uses term “camera obscura” for the first time in history in 1604. Johann Zahn, writer of "Oculus Artificialis Teledioptricus Sive Telescopium”, writes in his book in 17th century about camera obscura and magic lantern among other optical instruments. In 18th century Conte Francesco Algarotti writes his book “Saggio sopra Pittura” and dedicates a whole chapter to the use of camera obcura (or how he calls it “camera ottica” ("optic chamber")) in painting.

from: http://www.photographyhistoryfacts.com/photography-development-history/camera-obscura-history/

One device of the times which demonstrated this effect was the Thaumatrope accredited to three different people, Dr Fitton of London, Peter Roget and/or London physicist John Ayrton Paris. However it is known that Paris used his device to show the Phi phenomenon to the Royal College of Physicians in 1824. Its consisted of a disc with an image painted on each side. When the disc was spun by pulling on a twisted pair of strings, the images seemed to be combined - a bird on one side of the disc would appear in the empty cage on the other side. 'Trope' comes from the Greek word for 'things that turn'. 'Thauma' means wondrous, therefore a thaumatrope is a 'turning marvel' or 'wonder turner'.