How not to... win with Greek fire

While the threat of Greek fire itself was a deterrent to most invading forces, it struck little fear in the hearts of the Ottomans in 1453 as it hadn’t been used in centuries. In fact, the Ottoman Empire managed to conquer Constantinople once and for all, renaming it Istanbul and using it as their own capital.

Though the Ottomans had developed their own version of Greek fire, the successful siege condemned not only the Byzantine Empire but also the secret of its most feared weapon to the history books.

To this day, its exact composition remains a mystery to the world. Although the recipe was passed down from emperor to emperor throughout the Byzantine Empire, it was never written down lest it fall into enemy hands and be used against them in battle.