When was the first flamethrower invented?

Answer 1

Flamethrowers were invented in 1900 and tested in secret by the imperial German army the following year.
Technically, the flamethrower was invented around the 10th century B.C. by the ancient chinese.

Answer 2

The idea for the flamethrower has been around for a long time. The earliest flamethrowers date as far back as the 5th century B.C. These were designed somewhat similar to a large blowgun.

But the first modern day flamethrower was invented in Germany in 1901 by Richard Fiedler.

It was first or used in battle in World War I by the Germans on the French (sorry, Symbeline) some time between October of 1914 and February of 1916 (at Verdun).

Answer 3

The first to use a flamethrower in battle was the navy of the Byzantine Empire, who started using the 'Greek fire' from a pressurized tube in the 7th century to destroy the (wooden) warships of a Muslim fleet. There have been isolated reports of probable flamethrowers used in Greece from as early as the 5th century.