Greek fire

Origin of: Greek fire

Greek fire

Greek fire was a combustible, incendiary weapon invented by the Greeks of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire around 672 AD. Many ancient civilisations used incendiary weapons, as far back as the Assyrian Empire (900 – 600 BC). The Romans often used fireballs launched from large, wooden catapults, but the advantage of Greek fire was that it could continue to burn on water, and gave the Byzantines a huge advantage in naval battles. After its invention, the formula for Greek fire was a closely guarded state secret in the Byzantine Empire. The exact formula remains a subject of speculation and debate. Combinations of pine resin, naphtha, quicklime, calcium phosphide, sulphur and nitre, have all been suggested. It made a great impression on the Crusaders who are believed to have named it ‘Greek fire’ but it went by many other names including ‘wildfire’, ‘liquid fire’, ‘sea fire’ and ‘sticky fire’. See also the expression Like wildfire.