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Cryptography History : Greek Skytale

486 B.C. - Greek Skytale Greek Skytale Ancient Greeks invented the "Skytale" (rhymes with Italy), which was a stick wrapped with narrow strips of papyrus, leather, or parchment. The message was written on the wrapping; then the strip was removed and passed to the messenger. Only if the receiver had the same size tube would they be able to read the message. From indirect evidence, the scytale was first mentioned by the Greek poet Archilochus who lived in the 7th century BC. Other Greek and Roman writers during the following centuries also mentioned it, but it was not until Apollonius of Rhodes (middle of the 3rd century BC) that a clear indication of its use as a cryptographic device appeared. A description of how it operated is not known from before PlutarchMestrius Plutarch (c. 120) was a Greek historian/ biographer and essayist. Born in the small town of Chaeronea, in the Greek region known as Boeotia, probably during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius, Mestrius Plutarch travelled widely in the Medite (50-120 AD)

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