Lost Inventions - Greek Fire

Greek Fire was an incendiary flame thrower weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water. It provided a technological advantage, and was responsible for many key Byzantine military victories, most notably the salvation of Constantinople from two Arab sieges, thus securing the Empire's survival.

The Byzantines also used Greek Fire to devastating effect against two Russian attacks on Constantinople one in 941A.D. and one in 1043 A.D. as well as during the Bulgarian war of 970–971 A.D., when the fire-spewing Byzantine ships blockaded the Danube. A first-hand account of the use of Greek fire comes from the 11th-century Yngvars saga, where the Viking Ingvar the Far-Travelled faces Byzantine ships equipped with Greek fire.

The ingredients and the processes of manufacture and deployment of Greek fire were extremely carefully guarded military secrets. So strict was the secrecy that the formula of Greek fire has been lost and remains a source of speculation to this very day. Most modern scholars think Greek fire was based on petroleum, either crude or refined; and was comparable to modern napalm.

The Byzantine use of Greek Fire was also unique, they used pressurized nozzles to spray the liquid fire onto the enemy, just like a modern flame thrower. Greek fire was also put in clay grenades and thrown at the enemy. Clay grenades that were filled with Greek fire are on display at the National Historical Museum in Athens, Greece.

The impression made by Greek fire on the European Crusaders was such that they applied the name to all incendiary weapons, including those used by the Arabs, Chinese and the Mongols. These, however, were very different mixtures and not like the Byzantine formula or deployment.