Michael Baizerman Author

This will be my second article on medieval naval tactics in the Mediterranean. I finished writing this paper many months ago, but I was not ready to release it. Now, I understand why. The account needs to be revised, not only as a literary narrative but also as a concept. A good example is the presumed application of Greek Fire by Byzantine marines. Almost every chronicle mentions this, and modern explorers also repeat this fact. However, I am doubtful about its accuracy. We won't argue about the term. The Crusaders called it Greek Fire, although the Byzantines identified themselves as Romans and used artificial fire, liquid fire, or sea fire. It was stored behind the deck in a large boiler, heated on an open fire, channeled through a tube to the nozzle, and sprayed under pressure toward an enemy ship. When I described it to my friend, a retired engineer, it made him laugh. How could this system work on a wooden boat when even a small human error or technological blunder could lead...

T his week, I revised my article on the battle between the Byzantine army, led by General Belisarius, and the Vandal army, commanded by King Gelimer. This paper, which is part of my new project called The Intricacies of Naval Warfare, is 4600 words long. The abstract of my article states that the Byzantine campaign against Gelimer, who seized the Vandal throne, was a crucial military operation aimed at reclaiming former Roman provinces in the Mediterranean region. Procopius, our sole source on the Vandalic War, attributes the victory to General Flavius Belisarius's skill and leadership. In addition to battling the enemy, Belisarius had to navigate the political intrigues of the East Roman court. In my narrative, I emphasize the naval aspects of the engagement and its historical significance. You can access this article and join the discussion at https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum, or read my other work at i ndependent.academia.edu/BaizermanMichael. I will ...

Yesterday, I received some great feedback on my recent article "Galley Slaves." Dr. Dwight C Spratley praised my efforts in communicating history to non-specialists, Rien de Meij suggested that my paper summarizes the current level of knowledge, Hans-Heindrich Nolte asked about differences in oarsmen's conditions throughout the Mediterranean, and Peter Krejsa inquired about considerations regarding the cost-benefit situation. I am grateful for these comments as they will help me delve deeper into the topic. https://www.academia.edu/121984361/_Galley_Slaves_ In the meantime, I have re-edited and published two parts of the prelude to my project on Wattpad. You can access them using the following links: https://www.wattpad.com/1457143934-a-tale-of-two-brands-part-1-war-galleys-in-the https://www.wattpad.com/1464879203-a-tale-of-two-brands-part-ii-the-round-ship-part Additionally, I have prepared a lecture based on my paper "Vettor Fausto's Quinquereme." I will ...

 I have been preparing another lecture on galleys, which will comprise two parts. The first part is devoted to Vettor Fausto's quinquereme, i.e., a vessel with five oars on each bank. It is based on my article  https://www.academia.edu/117426402/Vettor_Fausto_s_Quinquereme The second part embraces several topics: nocturnal voyage, operational range, speed, and crew watering. It is based on yet unpublished parts of the article "The Early Light Galleys."  In the meantime, I continue familiarizing myself with the events of the War of Chioggia (1378-1380), my next target. I want to check the situation in Tenedos (an island at the entrance to the Dardanelles) and Tana (Azov), the northmost Italian trading station at the mouth of the Don River. These locales are associated with the struggle between Venice and Genoa for domination in the Eastern Mediterranean. They are mentioned in the Treaty of Milan (1380), which sealed the war. I started developing ideas and collecting images...

https://www.geschichtsforum.de/thema/die-quinquereme-von-vettor-fausto-die-groesste-galeere-aller-zeiten.24504/  I t took me about a week after my return to complete the initial draft of "The Fall of New Rome." I collected numerous notes which I will review while going through the paper. I plan to add illustrations and a conclusion. However, the work is now finished and needs to sit for a while. I have started gathering data for the last chapter of Part III, which is about The War of Chioggia. This was the final clash between Venice and Genoa in their struggle to maintain a trade monopoly with the East. Additionally, I have worked on a magazine version of my first article, "Galleys in the Medieval Mediterranean." I have adjusted the style to make it more accessible to the general public and informal. I recently renewed my membership as a patron of the Scribd online library, which allows me to borrow entire books for my research. Unfortunately, not all books can be...

  I will leave for some time, so this post says goodbye.  Writing of a new draft goes smoothly. I completed parts 1 and 2, and have started part 3.    Part 1: The Rendezvous at Venice A: The Untimely Arrival B: The Treaty of Venice C: Mustering the Army D: In Dire Straits Part 2: The Sack of Zara   A: The Elegant Exit from the Mess B: The Departure from Venice and the Capture of Zara Part 3: The Siege of Constantinople A: A New Development B: Leaving Zara    On June 3, I will deliver a Zoom lecture  based on my article, "Latin Galleys, Horse Transports, and Purpose-Built Oared Craft: Medieval Advanced Technology in the Wine-Dark Sea." I am eagerly looking forward to sharing my insights with a broad audience. https://www.academia.edu/116455561/Latin_Galleys_Horse_Transports_and_Purpose_Built_Oared_Craft_Medieval_Advanced_Technology_in_the_Wine_Dark_Sea  Follow me on Wattpad, where I uploaded two shortened versions of m...

Image: The Full-Scale Siege of a Fortified Town https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Crusade#/media/File:Crusaders_attack_Constantinople.jpg I am currently engrossed in the draft of a new research project titled "The Fall of New Rome." It took me three versions to achieve a breakthrough. The complexity and extensive research on the topic initially made me uncertain about the value of my contribution. After completing a third version, I became more self-assured. It is possible to write a final draft, even with minor discrepancies. I have nearly finished re-writing Part I: The Rendezvous at Venice, which consists of four sections: The Untimely Arrival, The Treaty of Venice, Mustering the Army, and In Dire Straits. As you probably know, this is a three-part account centered on Venice, Zara, and Constantinople. I also uploaded a new article called "Rowing a scaloccio." It discusses a new rowing technique developed by sixteenth-century Mediterranean galleys and its im...