On Thu, 14 Nov 1996, J. Austin Wilde wrote:

I have it on the authority of the Honolulu County Medical Examiner that
the pyrolisis of fingernails occurs at temperatures in excess of 1500
degress F. At this temperature the solid matter of the nails begins to
vaporize in minute quanities to support combustion. (Provided the final
side of the fire triangle is present -oxygen.)

Cool.
 

Dunno if Greek Fire could generate that kind of temperature in an open
air environment unless there was a lot of wind to provide oxygen and the
fire was allowed to build in intensity. However a fire below decks where
the heat would have a chance to build up could be very disasterous for
Hel's ship. 

Yeah.  It will happen on the deck....Mercury can't get below decks to set 
it off.

Couldn't find anything particularly useful from my Naval Institute Press
catalogue for the era you requested. One possible angle is Le Bohec's
"The Imperial Roman Army," which makes reference to Roman Navy and if I
remember correctly can refer you to another book dedicated to the topic.

Well, we'll see what happens :)

John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu      bailesu@komodo.hacks.arizona.edu  
http://www.hacks.arizona.edu/~bailesu/falcon.html 

     P-chan ran across the field and hopped into Akane's dreams.  She
snuggled her little pet.  "I love you, P-chan, especially with a little
apple in your mouth and that special sauce Ukyou makes."  They cooked
P-chan over an open fire and made special okonomiyaki out of him.  And
all was good.

--Draft of Lemon Sherbet, Episode 12