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Byzantine Greek Fire
A liquid incendiary weapon of the Byzantine navy whose formula was the empire's highest secret, decisive in repelling Arab sieges of Constantinople i…
Timeline
- c. 673–678Constantinople · Byzantine EmpireGreek Fire was first used on a large scale in naval warfare during the first Arab siege of Constantinople; the Byzantine fleet heavily damaged the Arab fleet with incendiary weapons, forcing the besieging forces to withdraw.
- 701–800Aegean Sea and the waters of Constantinople · Byzantine EmpireThroughout the 8th century Greek Fire remained standard Byzantine naval equipment, fitted with siphon projectors at the bow of dromons, and was continuously used in patrols and siege defenses against Arab and Slavic maritime threats.
- 717–718Golden Horn of Constantinople · Byzantine EmpireDuring the reign of Leo III, the Byzantine fleet burned the Arab besieging fleet with Greek Fire; this battle became one of the weapon's most famous victories and consolidated the sea defenses of the imperial capital.
Sources
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium — Alexander Kazhdan et al. (1991)
- Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century — Irfan Shahîd (1995)