Lex Fridman · The greatest military secret weapon in history - Greek Fire | Anthony Kaldellis and Lex Fridman

1. 1. Greek fire was a state secret flamethrower weapon used by the Byzantine Empire to defend Constantinople against Arab sieges.
2. 2. Greek fire was used not only against Arab fleets but also against Viking raiders who attacked Constantinople in the 940s and 1040s.
3. 3. Greek fire also existed in hand grenade form, clay containers with fuses thrown at siege engines.
4. 4. The second Arab siege of Constantinople in the early 8th century failed due to the competent leadership of Emperor Leo III and his strategic use of Greek fire and Bulgar allies.
5. 5. The Byzantine Empire's recovery after the 7th-century Arab conquests took centuries, involving military reorganization and a shift to a smaller, more militarized core in Asia Minor.