The Age of the Galley: Mediterranean Oared Vessels Since Pre-Classical Times (Conway's History of the Ship)

Over 100 maritime historians and specialists chart the development of the galley from the earliest paleolithic craft to the classical trireme and its Roman and Byzantine successors. Essays are also included on more general aspects such as material resources, battle tactics and exploration. For thousands of years organized naval warfare was the exclusive preserve of the galley. Oars provided a level of control and maneuverability beyond the capabilities of the contemporary sailing ship, and not experienced again until the era of the screw propeller. Precise control allowed squadrons and fleets to operate together, as a unit, which promoted the evolution of the earlier fighting tactics. However, for fleets to be more effective than collections of individual vessels, they needed training and organization, from which the first state-funded navies were to develop.The Age of the Galley charts this development from the earliest paleolithic crafts, some of which were paddled rather than rowed, to the classical trireme and its Roman and Byzantine successors. However, as a warship, the galley survived the coming of the three-masted sailing ship and even adapted itself to gunpowder artillery, so later chapters are devoted to the medieval and Renaissance fleets that served the later maritime powers of the Mediterranean. The principal historical chapters are backed by more general sections on the design and oar systems of galleys, on the organization and infrastructure of galley fleets, and on non-military applications of the galley.With the recent trials of the Greek Navy's reconstructed trireme, this volume has been able to take advantage of much new research and the upsurge in interest in these crafts makes the publication of this volume particularly welcome.