Units of History - Byzantine Fire Ships - Ancient Superweapons DOCUMENTARY

Summary by Krater

This video explores the history and development of fire ships and Greek fire in the medieval Mediterranean and Near East, detailing their composition, tactics, and role in defending Constantinople from Arab conquests.

From the video

Answers: How did fire ships and Greek fire shape the history of the Byzantine Empire?

• Greek fire
• Fire ships
• Byzantine military history
• Arab-Byzantine wars
• Siege warfare
• Naval tactics
• Naphtha
• Ancient incendiary weapons

What it concludes

• Fire ships and Greek fire protected Constantinople for centuries and changed the course of history.
• The core components of Greek fire were likely naphtha, quicklime, and sulphur.
• Greek fire was successfully used by the Byzantines to annihilate invading fleets, including 90% of the Umayyad invading force during the 717 AD siege.
• The tactical superiority of Greek fire allowed the Byzantine Empire to survive and thrive for another half millennium.