Why did Greek locks provide only limited security?

Greek locks provided only limited security because of their primitive design. These devices utilized a sickle-shaped iron key that was inserted through a hole in the door and turned, allowing the point of the sickle to engage the bolt and draw it back. Unlike later innovations, such as the wards introduced by the Romans, the Greek mechanism lacked complex internal obstructions to prevent unauthorized access, making the device relatively easy to operate with simple tools.1