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

About this book

For thousands of years organized naval warfare was the exclusive preserve of the galley. Oars provided a level of control and maneuverabilty 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 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 paleolitic 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 in the Mediterranean. The principal historical chapters are backed by more general sections on the design and oar system 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 Navys reconstructed trireme this volume has been able to take advantage of much new research; the upsurge in interest in these crafts makes the publication of this work particularly welcome. Lavishly illustrated THE AGE OF THE GALLEY includes over 65 black-and-white photos over 200 illustrations and 15 tables.