The famous fire beacon chain from Troy to Mycenae? Probably false. Towers would have stood idle for years during the Trojan War. Even in 490 BC, a messenger still ran from Marathon to Sparta seeking help before Marathon. Fire beacons throughout history: a tale of limitations — Byzantine beacon lines faced disruptions during Arab military campaigns.
Key facts claimed:
- The beacon communication theory is likely false — towers would have stood idle during the Trojan War's decade-plus duration
- In 490 BC, a messenger ran from Marathon to Sparta seeking help before the Battle of Marathon
- Byzantine beacon lines were disrupted during Arab military campaigns
- Smoke signals had significant limitations and were not easily reusable for complex communication
- Fire beacon systems throughout history had notable constraints