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Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs Naval War College Review Volume 57 Article 21 Number 2 Spring 2004 Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World Zygmunt Dembek Adrienne Mayor Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review Recommended Citation Dembek, Zygmunt and Mayor, Adrienne (2004) "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World," Naval War College Review: Vol. 57 : No. 2 , Article 21. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol57/iss2/21 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen 186 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE REVIEW Dembek and Mayor: Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemic experience of the First World War that marked the passing of the Mahanian ideal of climactic shoot-outs between Mayor, Adrienne. Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & battleships and pointed to new realities Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in naval strategy? Almost from the time in the Ancient World. New York: Overlook, 2003. the echo of the guns in the North Sea 319pp. $27.95 faded, naval strategy shifted to things Adrienne Mayor’s recent effort is a radically different from decisive battles comprehensive review of the use of bio- between capital ships. The strategic logical and chemical weapons by an- framework of Forward...from the Sea cient cultures. Mayor is an independent appears to have little in common with scholar of the classics and folklore who Jutland or Dogger Bank. lives in Princeton, New Jersey. She has Nevertheless, the struggle to adapt to been published in MHQ: Quarterly this shift is part of the experience we see Journal of Military History and various unfolding in Castles of Steel. Jellicoe archeology journals, and she is the au- came to realize that his fleet’s primary thor of The First Fossil Hunters: Paleon- purpose “was not destruction of the en- tology in Greek and Roman Times emy fleet, but command of the sea with (Princeton Univ. Press, 2000); a simi- the accompanying ability to maintain larly titled program is scheduled for the the blockade.” Ultimately, we see a suc- History Channel in July 2004. cessful adjustment on the strategic level This work describes in detail the use of by the British, contrasted with a com- weapons of mass destruction by the an- plete failure of German grand strategy. cient cultures of Greece, Rome, China, Finally, this is clearly a well researched India, Islamic regions, and Mongolia. book. Telling figures on German eco- Mayor presents a much needed update nomic imports show precisely the effect of the historical use of these weapons. If of the British blockade. Information on modern scientists appear to understand the coal consumption of ships could the nature and effects of chemical and easily have been left out, but because of biological weapons through their exper- its inclusion, we have a much better un- tise in biochemical and molecular sci- derstanding of a ship’s limitations and ences and epidemiology, ancient abilities. The reader comes to know the civilizations created and used similar characters involved in the drama, and weapons by empirical evidence alone. we can thereby understand their The (mythical) first use of a biological choices better. Robert Massie’s careful weapon in the ancient world was by attention is evident throughout the Hercules, who dipped his arrows in the book and contributes to its stature as a venom of the slain Hydra. Ancient seminal volume in understanding myths may also reflect the realities of World War I at sea, as well as the evolu- their time. Descriptions of poisoned tion of seapower and strategy in the wounds in the Trojan War accurately early twentieth century. depict the effects of snake venom and DAVID A. SMITH other toxins, lending confirmation of Department of History, the use of this type of weapon. In AD Baylor University 198–99, the citizens of Hatra (the Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 2004 1 C:\WIP\NWCR\NWC Review Spring 2004.vp Monday, March 29, 2004 8:30:03 AM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen BOOK REVIEWS 187 Naval War College Review, Vol. 57 [2004], No. 2, Art. 21 remains of this city are located south of Tyre in 332 BC, the Phoenicians refitted Masul, Iraq) successfully defended their a large transport ship as a floating city from a Roman attack by the use of chemical firebomb with sulfur, bitu- clay-pot bombs likely filled with scorpi- men, pitch, and kindling material. The ons and other venomous insects gath- Phoenicians ignited the ship just before ered from the surrounding desert. it struck a pier on the fortified island; Hannibal catapulted earthenware jars the pier was destroyed. filled with venomous snakes during a Greek fire, an ancient predecessor of decisive naval battle against King napalm, was a weapons system used to Eumenes of Pergamum between 190 attack ships during naval engagements. and 184 BC. Pressurized distilled naphtha was One of the greatest current concerns in pumped through bronze tubes aimed at homeland defense today is the protec- ships. The delivery system was capable tion of food and water supplies from of shooting liquid fire from swiveling intentional contamination. Mayor pre- nozzles mounted on small boats. It was sents evidence that purposeful poisoning first used to break the Muslim navy’s of food and water sources as a military siege of Constantinople in AD 673, and tactic was once commonplace. The ear- again saved the city from this fleet in AD liest documentation of poisoned drink- 718. From the seventh century, the ing water referenced is from Greece in Byzantines and Arabs formulated varia- 590 BC, when hellebore was used to poi- tions on Greek fire, which resembled son the water source of the city Kirrha napalm, for “it clung to everything it by the Amphictyonic League, causing touched, instantly igniting any organic the inhabitants to become “violently material—ship’s hull, oars, rigging, sick to their stomachs and all lay unable crew, and their clothing. Nothing was to move. The Amphictyons took the immune.” A paper published for city without opposition.” Aeneas the Napoleon claims to have rediscovered Tactician in 350 BC wrote a siegecraft the lost recipe for Greek fire, with the manual recommending that military disturbing title “Weapons for the commanders “make water undrink- Burning of Armies.” able” by polluting rivers, lakes, springs, A thread throughout Mayor’s history is wells, and cisterns. A more recent anal- unease or taboos associated with bio- ogy is presented with the Iroquois’ use logical and chemical weapons. Victims of animal skins to cause illness in the of Hercules’ poison arrows included water supply of over a thousand French Chiron, a centaur who taught the medi- soldiers during the eighteenth century. cal arts to humans, and Hercules’ son, The earliest recorded use of incendiary Telephus. Such instruments violated weapons was of flammable arrows by the “traditional Hindu laws of conduct Persia against Athens in 480 BC. Chemi- for Brahmans and high castes, the cal additives soon followed in order to Laws of Manu.” In 1139 the Second enhance burning characteristics against Lateran Council decreed that Greek more sturdy defenses. The use of fire fire and similar burning weapons were and incendiary material was an impor- “too murderous” to be used in Europe. tant tool during early naval battles. A modern chemical weapon tragedy re- During Alexander the Great’s siege of counted by Mayor is the 2 December https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol57/iss2/21 2 C:\WIP\NWCR\NWC Review Spring 2004.vp Monday, March 29, 2004 8:30:04 AM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen 188 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE REVIEW Dembek and Mayor: Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemic 1943 German bombing of the SS John Despite all the opportunities and re- Harvey, which was docked in Bari, Italy, sponsibility, Arafat has not brought the secretly holding two thousand M47A1 Palestinian people peace, victory, or an sulfur mustard (H) bombs. The explo- independent state. His failures and his sion exposed U.S. personnel and Italian own vision of the “struggle” have cost citizens to chemical weapons, which re- the Palestinians dearly. When, in 2000 sulted in hundreds of deaths. at Camp David, he was offered a recog- This work imparts seminal information nized Palestinian state on generally rea- on the use of biological and chemical sonable terms, he walked away. His weapons in the ancient world, and as rejection of the offer ignited the current such it provides an outlook missing intifadah. from much current thought about this This fresh dissection of Arafat should era. It is highly recommended. be of great interest to Review readers looking for insight as to why the United ZYGMUNT DEMBEK Lieutenant Colonel, MS, USAR States has often appeared “eager to give Author of Biological Weapons Defense (Humana Arafat another chance” in its own quest Press, 2004) to broker a lasting Middle East peace. For years, no matter how many times Arafat proved unreliable, the United States found reasons to give him an- other chance. Either he is indispensable Rubin, Barry, and Judith Colp Rubin. Yasir Arafat: to the peacemaking process, or he is the A Political Biography. New York: Oxford Univ. lone remaining roadblock. If the United Press, 2003. 354pp. $27.50 States is ever to break this maddening The Palestinian people would have been cycle, it must first know Arafat for who better off as citizens of Israel.
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