Multitool from 200 AD

[PSM]

The Roman Army Knife: Or how the ingenuity of the Swiss was beaten by 1,800 years

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:07 AM on 30th January 2010

The world's first Swiss Army knife' has been revealed - made 1,800 years before its modern counterpart.

An intricately designed Roman implement, which dates back to 200AD, it is made from silver but has an iron blade.

It features a spoon, fork as well as a retractable spike, spatula and small tooth-pick.

Experts believe the spike may have been used by the Romans to extract meat from snails.
The Roman army pen knife

It is thought the spatula would have offered a means of poking cooking sauce out of narrow-necked bottles.

The 3in x 6in (8cm x 15cm) knife was excavated from the Mediterranean area more than 20 years ago and was obtained by the museum in 1991.

The unique item is among dozens of artefacts exhibited in a newly refurbished Greek and Roman antiquities gallery at the Fitzwilliam Museum, in Cambridge.

Experts believe it may have been carried by a wealthy traveller, who will have had the item custom made.

A spokesman said: 'This was probably made between AD 200 and AD 300, when the Roman empire was a great imperial power.
The knife is on display at the Greek and Roman antiquities gallery at Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum

'The expansion of Rome - which, before 500 BC, had just been a small central Italian state - made some individuals, perhaps like our knife-owner, personally very wealthy.

'This could have been directly from the fruits of conquests, or indirectly, from the 'business opportunities' the empire offered.

'We know almost nothing about the person who owned this ingenious knife, but perhaps he was one of those who profited from the vast expansion of Rome - he would have been wealthy to have such a real luxury item.

'Perhaps he was a traveller, who required a practical compound utensil like this on his journeys.'

The spokesman added: 'While many less elaborate folding knives survive in bronze, this one's complexity and the fact that it is made of silver suggest it is a luxury item.

'Perhaps a useful gadget for a wealthy traveller.'

Modern Swiss Army knives originated in Ibach Schwyz, Switzerland, in 1897 and were created by Karl Elsener.

The knives which provide soldiers with a 'battlefield toolkit' have since become standard issue for many modern day fighting forces thanks to their toughness and quality.

Nationalist Elsener decided to design the knives after he realised the Swiss army were being issued with blades manufactured in neighbouring Germany.

Link: Daily Mail Online

Pat

[CHRISTIN]

Leave it to the Romans to invent the multitool.

Necessity being the mother of invention, the "original tool" (lost in history) was probably created by a clever Roman Legionnaire on a campaign.
This high-end silver version probably belonged to a Legate, Senator or other rich guy who traveled alot.

200 AD is only 120 years after the Flavian Amphitheatre (Roman Coliseum) was completed. The Coliseum encompassed engineering marvels not to reemerge for nearly two millennium. Given that, does their invention of the pocket multi-tool still surprise you. What intrigues me is how did we manage to waste 1500 years by going backwards. And, could it happen again? I believe it could.

And how could an American president produce a budget eliminating our ability to move astronauts between the earth's surface and the space station. He wants to rely on Russia and China for those services.

Now tell me going backwards does not have a high likelihood.

[Penn]

how did we manage to waste 1500 years by going backwards. And, could it happen again? I believe it could.

Only if you believe in religious myth systems of empowerment.

Originally Posted by Penn

Only if you believe in religious myth systems of empowerment.

or Global Climate Change

or virulent disease for which large populations had no resistance

or willing suspension of disbelief in the past failures of "salvation" by messianic leadership

or ...

All of the above seem historically accurate.

[Bill Harsey]

We don't know how much we don't know about a lot of stuff.

You guys talking religion and politics in the knife area drop and give me 50!.

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

We don't know how much we don't know about a lot of stuff.

You guys talking religion and politics in the knife area drop and give me 50!.

Did you hear about the Priest who was spouting politics while carrying a knife? Any way, this guy goes into a bar and,....

[rubberneck]

That is really cool. The famed Roman surgeon Galen was doing surprisingly successful brain surgery roughly around 200AD. There are several collections of Roman surgical equipment and much of it would have been considered advanced in the early 18th century.