Navigating Nature: Maritime Expertise and Environmental Adaptation in Byzantium and the Islamic Eastern Mediterranean

The nautical skills of naval officers and sailors in Byzantium and the Islamic world required, among other skills, a combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge of environmental conditions, including winds, currents, and coastal geography. Byzantine nautical manuals emphasize the importance of understanding natural conditions and adapting navigation or organizing naval expeditions accordingly. This study investigates whether and how this specialization was implemented, among imperial admirals or among specialized crews, and attempts to place it in the context of the circulation of Byzantine and Arabic treatises on astrology, astronomy, and meteorology. The stark contrast between the sparse documentation of Byzantine naval material—such as maps or instruments—and the comparatively richer Arab archive raises important questions about the transmission, secrecy, and strategic priorities underpinning Byzantine naval knowledge.