Tpo30

In this set of material, the lecture and the article disagree on the merit of the using burning mirror as an advanced weapon from the Greek army against the Roman navy. The reading passage states that this story is just a myth and supports three reasons proving it is a detrimental theory. In contrary, the professor casts doubt on those reasons as the following.

First of all, the reading passage claims that creating such kind of an advanced weapon was not practical for the Greeks because they did not have the advanced technology. Furthermore, this mirror would not have the precise structure to focus enough of the sunlight on the wooden weapons of the Roman army. However, the lecture opposes this idea and has another perspective. He suggests that it is no need to have a single individual mirror in the battle to create that massive sunlight focusing. In fact, the Greeks made several small pieces of mirrors together and would be able to focus the light.

Second, the reading argues that this mirror's light reflection needs from the piece of timber to stay stable for at least ten minutes to create the fire. Such a thing was impossible on the battlefield, Whereas, the professor rebuffs this argument. He points out that there is no need to burn the movable wooden weapons of the Roman soldiers at the war. The Greeks focused that light on the stitches of their ships which were subtle pieces quickly burned material even though the ship was moving.

Finally, the reading asserts that this mirror did not look like an improved weapon method. Because the Greeks already had advanced weapons such as flammable arrows. Moreover, those arrows were capable of putting up the entire ships of the other army down. In contrast, the professor refutes this idea too. He elaborates that the Roman army was intelligent enough to be prepared to the flammable arrows in the war. But, it is hard for them to predict such burning mirror weapon. In fact, it was the real big surprise.