Greek Fire - An invention lost in time

Throughout history, there have been some absolutely amazing inventions that have changed the course of human history and allowed us as a species to develop and grow. The Wheel. The internet. I could go on and on but an invention that not only changed the course of wars but also defied the laws of physics itself was the so-called ‘Greek Fire’.

It is widely believed that true Greek fire was made by Callinicus of Heliopolis in 672 AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine Pogonatus. Callinicus was a Greek-speaking Jewish Refugee who had fled the Arab conquest of Syria. The Byzantine Empire was under great stress from The Arab Caliphate who had already toppled the Persian Empire and whose territory stretched from modern day Tunisia to modern day Iran. After the rapid expansion Caliph Mu’awiya I had his eyes set on the jackpot Constantinople. However, he knew it would be no easy task to simply walk into Constantinople due to the extensively fortified and well guarded walls that surrounded the city of Constantinople. In 674 AD the first Arab Siege of Constantinople began and this is where the Romans introduced their divine weapon Thalassion Pyr (Sea Fire). Ancient Flamethrowers were mounted on ships that devastated the Arab ships made out of wood it stuck to fleeting men and most miraculously of all, it burned on water causing chaos and panic among the Arab fleet in a time where superstition ran riot. The first Arab Siege of Constantinople lasted for 4 years and after numerous amounts of casualties, the Arab forces were eventually defeated.

Depiction of Greek Fire Machinery

The exact formula of Greek fire is unknown some people at the time thought it was a gift from God and that if they revealed any of its secrets they would be struck down by God himself for revealing such a gift. Accounts from enemies detail Greek Fire’s ability to stick to men, ships and even the ability to burn underwater. It is heavily believed by scholars that Greek Fire is made from a range of different compounds. However, the main ingredient that many believe it is made from is a crude type of Petroleum

Greek fire was used on the Arabs multiple other times and was then used again on a range of different enemies such as the Rus, the Slavs, the Bulgarians and even on each other in civil wars. As a result of the extensive efforts to hide the formula of Greek fire, it is believed the method to create Greek fire was lost around the 12th to 13th century. There were several attempts to replicate it after this but no one was able to replicate true Greek fire.

Overall Greek Fire is a miraculous invention while the Romans believed it was a gift from God. Scholars believe that it is composed of a more realistic formula whatever it is made from has shaped wars and continues to baffle people. But ultimately true Greek Fire is an invention lost in time.

Sources

Britannica, T.E.O.E. (2023) Greek fire, Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/technology/Greek-fire

Constantinople 674–678 and Marj Rahit 684 - Muslim Expansion DOCUMENTARY (2022) YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZa_HjChaS0

How did the Muslims conquer The Levant? - The Arab-Byzantine Wars - Part 2 (2021) YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZdsuV-Fp2I

What Was Greek Fire? (2019) YouTube. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZfm2avqEeM&t=536s