Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, & Scorpion Bombs - Biological And Chemical Warfare

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Review of Adrienne Mayor's Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs

 

 

By N.S. Gill, About.com

See More About:

poisons

epidemics

ancient medicine

honey

plagues

 

 

 

History

Greek Gods Names

Ancient Egypt Art

Greek Gear

Ancient Culture

Ancient Greece

 

The Bottom Line

Mythology adds zest to this fascinating survey of man's inhumanity to

man. In Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Biological and

Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World, Adrienne Mayor demonstrates

how only minor details regarding how best to destroy one's enemy have

changed over the millennia.

 

Pros

Filled with details about ancient poisons and warfare

Goes as far back as possible using mythology

Well written and researched

Provides background for the relevant ancient history

Because of the wealth of detail, it's a very memorable book

 

Cons

If you don't like folklore mixed with history, you may object to the

evidence

 

Description

 

Even crafty Odysseus, known for his trickery, was honor bound to

refrain in some situations.

 

The venom that Hercules dipped his weapons in was the first

biological weapon.

 

Greek (Xenophon) and Roman (Pompey) armies were almost defeated by

eating rhododendron honey.

 

The scorpion bomb in the title is meant literally. Mice, hornets, and

gadflies were also used.

 

Today's uses for bees include chemical detection.

 

Ancient incendiary devices contained sulphur, resins, tar, and

petroleum.

 

Describes Mithridates and other skilled poisoners.

 

Guide Review - Review of Adrienne Mayor's Greek Fire, Poison Arrows &

Scorpion Bombs

 

In Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs - Biological and

Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World, Adrienne Mayor does a

masterful job of showing how everything modern in the areas of

terrorism and warfare has ancient antecedents.

 

While ancient warriors had codes of behavior, these standards seem

more fluid than fixed and depend on who is doing the dirty

deed. " Vile tricks and treachery " might be " shameful to any true

warrior, " but even in the Hindu Laws of Manu, which condemns

attacking sleeping enemies, encourages polluting the enemy's water.

Causing unnecessary suffering or harming non-combatants is forbidden

in Sun Tzu's Art of War, but toxic smoke is not. Hypocrisy is

rampant.

 

Warfare, whether ancient or modern, seems patterned on the many-

headed hydra that Hercules subdued: each head he sliced, sprouted two

more in its place. Even after Hercules learned to burn the stump, he

was unable to stem the original source of venom. The best he could do

was staunch the flow by burying the head -- just like nuclear waste

today. The incredible forces unleashed by man in his efforts to

destroy the enemy have gone on from the mythological era.

Even religious organizations have used bacterial warfare as a passive

means of punishment. From a temple of Apollo and the Ark of the

Covenant from the Temple of the Jews may have sprung fomites that

spread plagues against the infidels.

 

Greek Fire is fascinating.

 

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/

greekappliedsci/gr/greekfire.htm