Greek fire

incendiary weapon used by the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire developed c. 672

AI overview

Greek fire was an incendiary weapon developed by the Byzantine Empire around 672 that could be sprayed or projected at enemy ships and fortifications. Its exact chemical composition remains unknown, but it was so effective in naval warfare that it helped protect Byzantine territories from invasion for centuries.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

In the Vinony graph

Within Vinony's link graph, Greek fire is referenced by 601 other articles, and connects out to Byzantine Empire, economy of the Byzantine Empire and calcium oxide.

Vinony files it under Byzantine military equipment, Byzantine navy and Byzantine science.

Its subject is documented across 60 Wikipedia language editions.

Wikidata facts

Subclass of: incendiary weapon
Image: Greekfire-madridskylitzes1.jpg

Show 5 more facts

time of discovery or invention: 0672-00-00
discoverer or inventor: Callinicus of Heliopolis
Commons category: Greek fire
on focus list of Wikimedia project: Wikipedia:Vital articles/Level/4
location of creation: Constantinople

Sources (2)

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Encyclopedic overview

Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire from the seventh to the fourteenth centuries. The recipe for Greek fire was a closely-guarded state secret. Historians have variously speculated that it was based on saltpeter, sulfur, or quicklime, but most modern scholars agree that it was based on petroleum mixed with resins, comparable in composition to modern napalm. Byzantine sailors would toss grenades loaded with Greek fire onto enemy ships or spray it from tubes. Its ability to burn on water made it an effective and destructive naval incendiary weapon, and rival powers tried unsuccessfully to copy the material.

Name

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Greek fire” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.