I haven't seen the episodes, but I wonder if in history (if it isn't just a made up legend) that a couple of actual events have become conflated due to lack of

I haven't seen the episodes, but I wonder if in history (if it isn't just a made up legend) that a couple of actual events have become conflated due to lack of knowledge by the witnesses? Perhaps there were a bunch of soldiers with mirrored shields, and they did shine their shields to "blind" the incoming ships. Then archers shot flaming arrows against the ships... ...and the legend of mirrored shields setting fire to a ship was born?