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Hello
I am having a hard time convincing this fellow that the Arab navy was defeated outside Constantinople with the help of Greek fire. He doesn't believe my sources because they are Byzantine and bound to be biased in his reasoning.
Could someone pinpoint an Arab or Islamic source mentioning Greek fire for this battle so I could convince him?
Cry \'\'\'\'Havoc\'\'\'\', and let slip the dogs of war
Imad
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Here's one point:
The winners write history.
(otherwise I have no idea about Byzantine anything)
Edit: If you mean he doesn't believe they won the battle. Otherwise, what does it matter whether or not they used Greek fire to win, so long as they won? I thought the Byzantines were known for using Greek fire . . .
Marshal White
aka Aulus FABULOUS 8) <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" />8) . . . err, I mean Fabius
"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it."
- Pericles, Son of Athens
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I am sorry that I don't know of any Arab sources for this issue, but I would suggest the following - it was quite clear from the Byzantine sources that the Empire was in a very bad situation, and the Byzantine sources indicate this. Obviously, the Arabs lost. The Byzantine sources do not claim any kind of miraculous intervention, but instead attribute much of the victory to a physical cause.
Why would anyone have trouble believing them? Does he/she not think the Greeks used Greek fire?
Felix Wang
It seems to me reasonable for anyone to doubt the invention of the flame-thrower so early in world history, just as many would find it difficult to accept Hero's steam engine. I'm afraid I can't offer any source of evidence for you to use.
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A good introduction on the topic is J.R. Partington's book, A History of the Greek Fire and Gunpowder, Heffer, 1960.
Well done, Ioannis! Do we also need an Arab source?
