7th Century Flame Throwers??? The Deadly Secret of Byzantine Greek Fire
- Hootey Cline
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
By Hootey Cline
Modern flamethrowers emerged at the turn of the 20th century, but the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was far ahead of the curve. The empire's most closely guarded secret — its exact formula is a mystery even today — was its recipe for Greek fire, a napalm-like incendiary substance. The Byzantines first deployed it to defend Constantinople from an Arab attack, loading it into bronze siphons and firing it under pressure at enemy ships, like an early version of a flamethrower. (They would also fill pots with Greek fire and hurl them like grenades.) Because it caught fire spontaneously and couldn't be extinguished by water, it was a powerful and destructive naval weapon, and it helped the Byzantines stay in power for centuries.
Callinicus of Heliopolis, a Greek-speaking refugee who fled to Constantinople from Syria after the city was conquered and became part of the Rashidun Caliphate, is widely credited for inventing Greek fire around 673 AD. Historians are pretty confident that it was petroleum- or naphtha-based, possibly sourced from Crimea. Other possible ingredients include quicklime, sulfur, and saltpeter. Its volatility meant that it was extremely dangerous to manufacture — and distilling the petroleum product would have been pretty advanced tech for the time. The weapon was a mainstay of the Byzantine arsenal for centuries, and despite one of their flamethrowers being captured once, nobody else managed to crack the code.
The Ultimate State Secret
What made Greek fire so effective wasn't just its composition — it was the Byzantine Empire's unprecedented security measures. The formula was treated as the ultimate state secret, more valuable than gold or territory. The Byzantines employed a brilliant strategy: they compartmentalized the recipe so that no single person knew the complete formula.
Different military engineers and alchemists were responsible for different components of the mixture. One might know how to prepare the petroleum base, another would handle the quicklime activation system, and yet another would manage the delivery mechanisms. This meant that even if enemies captured Byzantine personnel, they couldn't recreate the weapon without the entire imperial infrastructure behind them.
From the shop: This reminds me of how I approach complex restoration projects. Sometimes the most critical knowledge isn't written down anywhere — it's passed through hands-on experience and careful mentorship.
The Delivery System: More Than Just Fire
Greek fire wasn't just about the incendiary mixture — it was a complete weapons system that would make modern military engineers proud. The Byzantines developed several delivery methods:
Naval Siphons (Cheirosiphons): Large bronze tubes mounted on warships called "dromons" that could project the burning mixture up to 15 meters. These required pumps and trained crews to operate effectively.
Hand-Held Devices: Smaller, portable siphons that individual soldiers could operate — essentially the world's first personal flamethrowers.
Greek Fire Grenades: Clay pots filled with the mixture that would ignite on impact, used both in naval combat and siege warfare.
Defensive Installations: Fixed siphons mounted on Constantinople's walls that could rain fire down on attacking forces.
The Science Behind the Mystery
While the exact formula remains unknown, modern analysis suggests Greek fire was likely composed of:
Petroleum or naphtha (the primary fuel source, possibly from Black Sea oil seeps)
Quicklime (calcium oxide, which reacts violently with water, explaining why it couldn't be extinguished)
Sulfur (to lower the ignition temperature)
Pine resin or pitch (to make the mixture stick to targets)
Saltpeter (potassium nitrate, possibly as an oxidizer)
The genius was in the quicklime component. When Greek fire contacted water, instead of being extinguished, the quicklime would react and actually intensify the flames. This made it devastating against wooden ships and terrifying to enemy sailors who couldn't put it out with conventional methods.
The End of an Era
The secret of Greek fire died with the Byzantine Empire in 1453.
As Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, the last keepers of the formula likely took their knowledge to the grave rather than let it fall into enemy hands. Ironically, by the time the empire fell, gunpowder weapons had already begun to make Greek fire obsolete.
The Byzantines' obsession with secrecy, which had protected their weapon for over 700 years, ultimately ensured its complete disappearance from history. No written recipes survived, and the oral tradition died with the empire's collapse.
Lessons for Modern Craftsmen
The story of Greek fire teaches us something important about craftsmanship and knowledge preservation.
The Byzantines were so focused on protecting their secret that they failed to properly document and preserve it for future generations.
In my work restoring antique firearms, I've seen what happens when traditional knowledge isn't passed down. Techniques that took generations to perfect can disappear in a single lifetime if they're not properly documented and taught.
From the shop: This is why I believe in sharing knowledge about traditional gunsmithing techniques. The craft is too valuable to let die with any one person.
The Legacy Lives On
While we may never recreate true Greek fire, its legacy lives on in modern military technology. From flamethrowers to napalm to modern incendiary weapons, the principles pioneered by those 7th-century Byzantine engineers continue to influence military science today.
The story of Greek fire also reminds us that innovation often comes from necessity. Faced with existential threats, the Byzantines developed technology that was centuries ahead of its time — proving that human ingenuity knows no bounds when survival is on the line.
Preserving Historical Knowledge at Blue Coat Arms Company
Just as the Byzantines were masters of their craft, we specialize in preserving and restoring historical firearms from every era. Whether you have a family heirloom from the Civil War or need custom parts fabricated for an antique piece, we understand that each restoration preserves a piece of history.
Contact us at 217-416-5962 or bluecoatarms@gmail.com to discuss your historical firearm restoration needs. We work by appointment only to provide the detailed attention your piece deserves.
Serving Central Illinois with expert gunsmith services — "Because No Matter Your Era, We Got Your Six!"
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