Units of History - Byzantine Flamethrowers and Grenadiers DOCUMENTARY

A history documentary on the Byzantine Flamethrower and Grenadier units! Claim your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: Start your free trial TODAY so you can watch “Pyros: Painting with Fire“ which covers the fascinating behind the scenes world of Fire Works Displays: This animated documentary is part of our Units of History series covering elements of the Byzantine Army and more. In this episode we turn to the more experimental forces of their roster which include both grenadier and flamethrower units. The documentary begins with the broad trajectory of fire weapons. This began as soon as mankind first learned to tame this powerful force of nature. The earliest steps involved finding natural resources which could be used as incendiary devices. Products such as animal fats, oil, pitch, and other materials were discovered which could help early militaries make specific items flammable. At first this meant torches which could hand deliver fire to their desired target but soon enough fire projectiles were being created in the form of arrows, bolts, and exploding pots. The most common use of fire was in siege warfare where it could be used by both the attacker and defender against fixed targets. This occurred across the ancient world. However one of the most notable developments would be during the Peloponnesian War when the Spartan forces created the Boeotian Flamethrower to uproot a garrison of Athenians. It was a simple device which supposedly used a bellows to direct a gust of air into a pot of burning substance which would then spew forth. For the time being though such devices remained quite niche. The eventual discovery and exploitation of Naphtha would change the game by introducing a highly flammable liquid. This would be mixed with various other substances to increasingly deadly effect, ultimately culminating in the invention of Greek Fire. The Byzantines quickly took control of the new material, shrouded it in secrecy, and experimented with ways on how to turn it into a weapon. This would lead to the famous Byzantine Fire Ships which are widely attested to. However in this episode we look at the land application of the Byzantine Grenadier and Byzantine Flamethrower Units of History. In previous episodes we have covered the Varangian Guards, the Roman Cataphracts, and many more fascinating troop types. What Units of History should we cover next? Credits Research = Invicta Script = Invicta Narration = Guy Michaels Editing = Penta Limited Sources and Suggest Reading: “Greek Fire” by Linda Alchin “Byzantine authors: literary activities and preoccupations” by John Nesbitt “Praecepta Militaria” by Nicephorus II Phocas “Tactica” by Emperor Leo VI the Wise “Travels of Marco Polo, Chapter IV” #Units #Byzantine #Documentary