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Thread: Roman swiss army knife

  1. #1
    Member Member M to the A's Avatar
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    Default Roman swiss army knife



    We've heard of retro, but this must surely take the cake. An interesting implement used by Romans in 200AD was discovered 20 years ago and it looks like the ancient equivalent of today's Swiss Army Knife.

    Consisting of a spoon, blade, fork, spatula, spike and toothpick, the various components can be stored into the handle for storage. Considering the amount of work required to make this device, and the fact that the first industrial factories weren't available until the 18th century, chances are this was a luxury item owned by a wealthy traveler.



    We're still awaiting word if they've also found his wife's prehistoric version of the iPad.

    ---

    http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2010/02/0...s-army-knife-/

    ---


    :p Thought this was pretty cool, might come in handy when they flee the battlefield into the dark unknown German forests.
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    Near East TW Mod Leader Member Cute Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife



    How could they done that? Spring leverage and safety pin aren't invented yet......

    If that was truly genuine Roman invention..... I want that to be added into my knive collections!!!

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    Tuba Son Member Subotan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    That's pretty neat, but I thought the fork was invented by Renaissance Italians.

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    urk! Member bobbin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Forks have been around for ages they just weren't that popular in Europe for a long time.
    Here's a link to the item page from the website of the museum that displays it


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    Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ Member Fluvius Camillus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Wow! What a discovery, where was it found?

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    Member Member anubis88's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    This really looks incredible... I just hope it's not a scam, since i find it a bit extraordinary
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    master of the wierd people Member Ibrahim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    @cutewolf: this implement set is actually feasable with 200 AD tech. but springs were not used; jusging from the picture, I'd say they used some sort of knob prtruding from the side of a sub-implement, as is clearly shownby that toothpick thingy.

    but yes, this would have been a priceless item to own back in the day.
    I was once alive, but then a girl came and took out my ticker.

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    Member Member Intranetusa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Quote Originally Posted by Cute Wolf View Post


    How could they done that? Spring leverage and safety pin aren't invented yet......

    If that was truly genuine Roman invention..... I want that to be added into my knive collections!!!

    Yeh...from the looks of things, it looks very clumsy - like the creator just decided to weld it randomly together...
    I would be surprised if using it was quite dangerous and you ended up stabbing yourself...
    "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind...but there is one thing that science cannot accept - and that is a personal God who meddles in the affairs of his creation."
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    Near East TW Mod Leader Member Cute Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    So, no spring safety-pin then?
    Maybe (judging from the holes present in handle), they use balisong-type opening mechanism, with simple knobs as safety measure....

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  10. #10
    Parthian Cataphract #03452 Member Zradha Pahlavan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Well obviously the knife was given to them by space aliens, since we all know that people in the ancient world couldn't make amazing things without intergalactic help.
    Parthian Nationalist

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    imaginary Member Weebeast's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    The ankh like design pf the handle too points to that of the ancient Egyptians who were undoubtedly having ties with aliens.

  12. #12
    Member Member Pezlu's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Quote Originally Posted by M to the A View Post
    And look closely at the holes in the handle: they clearly form the shape of an alien (the holes on the right, in particular, show an alien head).
    (from keravnos, for correctly recognizing the shield design of the Indohellenikoi Eugeneis Hoplitai as a hippocampus)

  13. #13
    Near East TW Mod Leader Member Cute Wolf's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Quote Originally Posted by Zradha Pahlavan View Post
    Well obviously the knife was given to them by space aliens, since we all know that people in the ancient world couldn't make amazing things without intergalactic help.
    Quote Originally Posted by Weebeast View Post
    The ankh like design pf the handle too points to that of the ancient Egyptians who were undoubtedly having ties with aliens.
    Quote Originally Posted by SunShadow View Post
    And look closely at the holes in the handle: they clearly form the shape of an alien (the holes on the right, in particular, show an alien head).
    Hey guys.... no, that wasn't Alien.... that was "Harp" shaped and "acorn" shaped.... and those "alien eyes" are actually stick slot for safety lock mechanism.... :)

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  14. #14
    Villiage Idiot Member antisocialmunky's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Pretty neat ingenuity :)

    Quote Originally Posted by M to the A View Post
    [IMG]
    We're still awaiting word if they've also found his wife's prehistoric version of the iPad.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-ss...layer_embedded
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    master of the wierd people Member Ibrahim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Roman swiss army knife

    Quote Originally Posted by Cute wolf
    So, no spring safety-pin then?
    Maybe (judging from the holes present in handle), they use balisong-type opening mechanism, with simple knobs as safety measure....
    that was what I was saying earlier

    but yes, that seems to be the only sensible option, wthout becoming impossibly expensive.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Quote Originally Posted by antisocialmunky View Post
    well since you brought that up, I have to complete the cycle. here is a futuristic equivalent to the iPAD (warning: there is some profanity in this).

    and while we all know that Graham Hancock/Richard Hoagland/Alien conspiracy people are full of it, please, I don't really think its worth jabbing at him. the mentally ill should be pitied, not ridiculed.
    Last edited by Ibrahim; 02-05-2010 at 05:33.
    I was once alive, but then a girl came and took out my ticker.

    my 4 year old modding project--nearing completion: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=219506 (if you wanna help, join me).

    tired of ridiculous trouble with walking animations? then you need my brand newmotion capture for the common man!

    "We have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if we put the belonging to, in the I don't know what, all gas lines will explode " -alBernameg

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