Greek fire vs Archimedes death ray?

[revoltub]

Cooler ancient weapon?

Death ray

"the death ray was actually a series of mirrors that reflected concentrated sunlight onto Roman ships. The ships were moored within bow and arrow range (in ancient Greece, anywhere from 200 to 1,000 feet (about 60.96 to 304.8 meters)). According to legend, the Roman ships were burned by the collective, condensed sunlight shone from these mirrors [source: McLeod]. Ship after ship in the Roman fleet caught fire and sank in the Mediterranean, casualties of the death ray."

https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/archimedes-death-ray.htm

Vs.

Greek fire

"Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire beginning c. 672. Used to set fire to enemy ships, it consisted of a combustible compound emitted by a flame-throwing weapon. Some historians believe it could be ignited on contact with water, and was probably based on naphtha and quicklime. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect, as it could supposedly continue burning while floating on water"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire


I say the death ray is cooler even though it may not have really been a death ray.

 

[Protectandserve]

Greek fire is definitely more spicy of the 2.

 

[aunshi189]

Greek fire by bring more likely to actual do something

 

[Deleted member 110072]

Greek fire by bring more likely to actual do something

The mirrors I suspect if they were used were more to distract archers rather than actually burn ships.

 

[Tone C]

Greek fire is edgier....imagine the wind suddenly veers....

 

[Tone C]

Didn't mythbusters do a couple of episodes on the Archemides death Ray?

 

[Otto!]

The death ray is an awesome concept.

Mythbusters tried to recreate it but they used flat mirrors. Curved mirrors would have been a lot more effective.

 

[revoltub]

The death ray is an awesome concept.

Mythbusters tried to recreate it but they used flat mirrors. Curved mirrors would have been a lot more effective.

I kind of remember that episode. Was it busted or confirmed?

 

[Pizza Werewolf]

 

[syct23]

Death Ray was fantastically awesome in its own right, yet a little to ahead of it's time it seems.

Greek fire had the potential and actually has the body count to show it's successfulness throughout historical warfare.

 

[THEfightsAREfixed]

greek fire is way more lit, the mirrors are like hey can we reschedule the battle today is really muggy .....

 

[Fedorgasm]

Death ray is better because the range is basically as far as you can see.

The greek fire is cool but the range is so short that you end up burning your own ship by mistake. Especially if it burns in the water

 

[Tone C]

I kind of remember that episode. Was it busted or confirmed?

They went back and revisited it I think. And it was rebusted

 

[Otto!]

I kind of remember that episode. Was it busted or confirmed?

I think it was busted, but they used flat mirrors which would only reflect the sun, not concentrate it. I guess that reflecting multiple flat mirrors in one spot would increase the temperature somewhat, but not to the same extent as a curved mirror.

 

[revoltub]

I think it was busted, but they used flat mirrors which would only reflect the sun, not concentrate it. I guess that reflecting multiple flat mirrors in one spot would increase the temperature somewhat, but not to the same extent as a curved mirror.

I remember they did the dropping a penny from a tall building myth and they shot it out of a gun instead of dropping it. That one always pissed me off.

 

[Otto!]

I remember they did the dropping a penny from a tall building myth and they shot it out of a gun instead of dropping it. That one always pissed me off.

They had some very cool episodes, but there were times like these where the science was questionable.

GOAT episode for me was blowing up the cement truck. Unreal.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

Unless Archimedes was a 1000 foot tall man with a giant magnifying glass I don’t think his death Ray would have been all that effective.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

Also, did the Romans conquer the Greeks by attacking on cloudy days?

 

[MusclesMarinara]

I think it was busted, but they used flat mirrors which would only reflect the sun, not concentrate it. I guess that reflecting multiple flat mirrors in one spot would increase the temperature somewhat, but not to the same extent as a curved mirror.

You can note a similar effect in a modern situation. Sit outside a modern glass sheeted office building. The right time of day, and sit in the right location you can feel the death ray coming off the building.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

greek fire actually worked numerous times during byzantine history and got them out of trouble in naval battles a shitload