tpo 30

In this set of materials, both the reading and the lecturer discuss one of the Greek's indigenous defense weapons, which were called a burning mirror. Although the passage claims some doubts about the feasibility and effectiveness of this weapon, the speaker refutes all of the arguments described in this reporter.

To start off, the passage points out that the ancient Greeks did not have enough technology for making a parabolic curve shape mirror from cupper by a single sheet. The lecturer, in contrast, rejects this by claiming that the Greek people did not use a single sheet for making a mirror. They could assemble several small parts of mirrors that were formed together in order to build a burning mirror. So, they did not need high technology.

Going through the next approach, the reading passage states that the fire is made by a mirror, needs at least 10 minutes for starting, and needs the objects to unmoved, so they could not use a mirror for making a fire. However, the professor argues that The ancient Greek people did not use wood for making fires. She explains that the Greek people used other parts of ships like a sticky part between wood and waterproof parts that were pitch. The pitch started to fire in a second, even the ships were moving. When the pitch started to burn, other parts of the ships were set on the fire.

Finally, although the passage says that the Greek people had another weapon that more practical compare to the mirror, like flaming arrows, the speaker disagrees by mentioning that the Roman navy was familiar with flaming arrows; hence, they understood that how to defend themselves from this. Nevertheless, they did not information about a mirror. They only sow a mirror, and their ships became fire suddenly. Therefore the burning mirror was a surprising and effective weapon.