Greek Fire: The Mysterious Weapon That Protected the Byzantine Empire

Greek Reporter ^ | July 6, 2025 | Philip Chrysopoulos

[ArtDodger]

Wild fire! Just ask the Onion Knight!

[Ancesthntr]

Very interesting. I think that in the next decade or so, with the aid of AI, we will know the formula. It took decades to figure out Roman concrete that not only doesn’t deteriorate, but it self-repairs. Our ancestors were a lot smarter than we credit them with being.

One quibble: near the end of the article it said, “From the 7th century until the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, this Byzantine weapon was significant in protecting the Greek empire.” The Empire wasn’t Greek, even if Greek was its primary language - it was Roman.

[JZelle]

What about serpentine fire? Songs were written about it.

[Ancesthntr]

After watching GOT, anytime I hear about Greek Fire, I think of Wildfire. I am sure that GRRM modeled it on the original.

[Whatever Works]

I always figured it was something like potassium which has a very strong reaction in water.

[Maelstrom]

...and powdered copper

[Fungi]

Written about in Jihad in the West, Paul Fregosi.

[TexasFreeper2009]

just sounds like oil to me

[Brian Griffin]

[fidelis]

One quibble: near the end of the article it said, “From the 7th century until the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, this Byzantine weapon was significant in protecting the Greek empire.” The Empire wasn’t Greek, even if Greek was its primary language - it was Roman.

The article is from a Greek news source. It's all Greek to them.

[nickcarraway]

Infected pangolins?

[Brian Griffin]

[Inyo-Mono]

Interesting article!

[hinckley buzzard]

Sounds a lot like napalm. Easy to make.

[jjotto]

https://greekreporter.com/2024/09/05/byzantines-greeks-romans-both/

[BobL]

“According to some historians, it was Greek fire that had kept the Byzantine Empire protected from invaders for centuries, subsequently saving the whole of Western civilization.”

...and for what, to elect a bunch of women leaders who, literally, INVITED THEM IN anyway.

[SunkenCiv]

[joshua c]

you win

first thrones reference