Greek fire

Greek fire, any of several flammable compositions that were used in warfare in ancient and medieval times. More specifically, the term refers to a mixture introduced by the Byzantine Greeks in the 7th century ce. The employment of incendiary materials in war is of ancient origin; many writers of antiquity refer to flaming arrows, firepots, and such substances as pitch, naphtha, sulfur, and charcoal. In later centuries saltpetre and turpentine made their appearance, and the...