Naphtha weapons, precursors to Greek fire

Timeline

1. c. -400–-1Euphrates River valley · MesopotamiaPersian and Hellenistic city-states used clay-pot fire bombs filled with bitumen or petroleum mixtures in sieges, igniting enemy works and ships via catapult or by hand.
2. c. 1–300Syria · LevantIn Rome's wars with Parthia and Sasanian Persia in Syria and Mesopotamia, both sides used naphtha-type incendiary weapons against fortresses and fleets, referred to in texts as 'fire oil' or 'precursor to Greek fire'.
3. c. 300–500Persian Gulf · Persian GulfThe Sasanian Persian navy used petroleum-based incendiary weapons in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea; this accumulated technical expertise provided the Near Eastern chemical and engineering tradition for the development of Byzantine Greek fire flamethrowers after the sixth century.