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Byzantine War Ships and Naval War

Byzantine War Ships and Naval War. (from the Fourth to the Eleventh Century). Roman warship (4 th century, Mainx). Byzantine dromon, early 6 th century. Dromon in the Ilias Ambrosiana (Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Cod. Ambros. F. 205 Inf., min. VIII), early sixth century.

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Byzantine War Ships and Naval War

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  1. Byzantine War Ships and Naval War (from the Fourth to the Eleventh Century)

  2. Roman warship (4th century, Mainx)

  3. Byzantine dromon, early 6th century • Dromon in the Ilias Ambrosiana (Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Cod.Ambros. F. 205 Inf., min. VIII), early sixth century.

  4. Byzantine dromon • 30-50 meters long and 5-7 meters wide, carrying up to 250 men (200 rowers and 50 marines)

  5. Greek Fire and Byzantine Naval Warfare • from the Madrid Skylitzes Ms, early 12th century, Sicily ( Biblioteca Nacional de Espaňa in Madrid)

  6. The Chronicle of Theophanes (810) reports that in 673 an inventor named Kallinikos “had devised a sea fire which ignited the Arab ships and burned them with all hands. Thus it was that the Romans returned with victory and discovered the sea fire.” Greek Fire was a combustible substance made from some combination of petroleum, naphtha, and other ingredients that at the least could not be put out with water and perhaps was either spread or even ignited by contact with water. Byzantine chroniclers falsely claimed that the formula remained a closely guarded state secret. In actuality, Greek Fire was used by Arab fleets as well and was a standard part of the weaponry of eastern Mediterranean fleets 700-1100. The substance itself, either pumped at high pressure out of bronze siphons mounted on the bows of galleys or lobbed, from on-board catapults, in earthenware pots that would shatter on impact, constituted a deadly weapon against wooden ships that the Byzantine navy used again and again to devastating effect, most decisively at the siege of Constantinople in 717. Only when the Turks discovered how to combat it in the late eleventh century (vinegar, rather than water, did the trick in dousing the flames) did Greek Fire lose importance as a Byzantine naval weapon; the formula was lost with the fall of the Empire, never to be recovered. Greek Fire had limitations, as the siphons had limited range and catapulted pots had limited accuracy. Greek Fire had to be handled carefully lest one’s own ship caught fire. Stephen Morillo

  7. Saracen fleet from Madrid Skylitzes Ms (12th century)

  8. Muslim amphibious assault on Thessalonica under Leo of Tripoli, 904 (from Madrid Skylitzes Ms, 12th century)

  9. Reconquest of Chandax (Heraklion), Emirate of Crete, by Nicephoras Phocas (later emperor) in 960. (From Madrid Skylitzes Ms, 12th century) • Nicephoras Phocas commanded a fleet of 100 dromons, 200 chelandia, and 308 transports, carrying an overall force of 77,000 men, to subdue the island. The conquest of Crete removed the direct threat to the Aegean, Byzantium's naval heartland, while Phokas' subsequent operations led to the recovery of Cilicia (in 963) and Cyprus (in 968).

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