Greek fire facts for kids

A Byzantine ship using Greek fire in the late 11th century. Madrid Skylitzes manuscript.

Invented by Byzantines, Greek fire was a fearsome weapon. It had the ability to keep burning while on water. As such, it was often used in naval battles. The creation of it was a closely guarded secret and has now been lost.

The term "Greek fire" is normally used in English. However, most other languages use other terms such as "sea fire" (Greek: πῦρ θαλάσσιον), "Roman fire" (πῦρ ῥωμαϊκόν), "war fire" (πολεμικὸν πῦρ), "liquid fire" (ὑγρὸν πῦρ), or "processed fire" (πῦρ σκευαστόν).

Images for kids

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  Use of a cheirosiphōn ("hand-siphōn"), a portable flamethrower, used from atop a flying bridge against a castle. Illumination from the Poliorcetica of Hero of Byzantium.

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  Proposed reconstruction of the Greek fire mechanism by Haldon and Byrne

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  Detail of a cheirosiphōn

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  Ceramic grenades that were filled with Greek fire, surrounded by caltrops, 10th–12th century, National Historical Museum, Athens, Greece