Who invented Triremes?
3 min read
Asked by: Jacqueline Fregui
According to the Ancient Greek historian, Thucydides, it was the Corinthians who first developed the trireme, possibly as early as the 7th century BC. (1.12. 4 – 13.2) They in turn based their design on ships first made by the Phoenicians, a people living on the coast of what is now Lebanon.
Why are triremes called triremes?
Rowing Arrangement
The trireme was so-called because of the arrangement of rowers in three lines down the length of each side of the ship.
What are triremes made of?
The materials from which the trireme was constructed were an important aspect of its design. The three principal timbers included fir, pine, and cedar. Primarily the choice in timber depended on where the construction took place.
Why did the Greeks make the trireme?
The trireme was a lightweight, maneuverable, ship that was used primarily for disabling enemy ships by puncturing a hole in them. These ancient Greek ships were more like torpedoes than ships, and they were primarily used as such.
Who were rowers in triremes?
The Trireme was used by people of the Mediterranean Sea from the 7th to the 4th century BC and gets its name from its three rows of oars on each side, manned with one man per oar. The rowing men were not slaves, but were free men who were paid to row.
How was the trireme invented?
The Phoenicians, being extensive traders, developed a ship that was long and narrow with a heavy bronze ram at the prow. The ram rested just below the surface and in battle was powered forward by three rows of oars on either side giving the ship its name, trireme.
How many soldiers can a trireme hold?
The crew of the Greek trireme consisted of approximately 200 men: 30 regular crew and 170 rowers. The regular crew included officers and sailors to run the ship and archers and spearmen for added combat effectiveness. The trierarch, or captain of the trireme, was usually a wealthy citizen of Athens.
How much did a trireme cost?
In 483-410 BC Athens commissioned 1,500 triremes at a cost of 15,000 talents or 90 million drachmae.
How fast is a trireme?
8 miles per hour
The trireme is said to have been capable of reaching speeds greater than 7 knots (8 miles per hour, or 13 km/hr) and perhaps as high as 9 knots under oars.
What came after triremes?
From the 4th century BC on, new types of oared warships appeared in the Mediterranean Sea, superseding the trireme and transforming naval warfare. Ships became increasingly large and heavy, including some of the largest wooden ships hitherto constructed.
When was the Greek trireme invented?
5th century BC
The Greeks – The first triremes built. The guided missiles of their day, triremes were the key to Athens’ greatness in the 5th century BC. According to the Ancient Greek historian, Thucydides, it was the Corinthians who first developed the trireme, possibly as early as the 7th century BC.
