Quadriremes

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The Latin name for a class of ancient warship used in Ancient Rome, and before that, in Greek navies. The root is derived from the Latin remex, "rower." The prefix "quad" means four. The Greeks, who devised the class, referred to it as a tetreres (from "tetra," the Greek "four"). According to modern historians, the numbers used to describe galleys counted the rows of men on each side, and not the oars. The "four" had four files of men a side, eight files in all. There are three possible reconstructions of the quadrireme: (1) one row of oars with four men on each oar. This would be a very broad vessel and is considered unlikely. (2) oars at two levels with two men on each oar. Or (3) oars at three levels with two men pulling the top oars and one each on the remaining two.[1]

"Fours" were introduced into Greek naval warfare in the fourth century BC. The bireme and trireme, two banks and three banks to a side respectively, are considerably older, first attested in the sixth century BC. Hellenistic navies introduced yet larger warships, from "fives" up to "sixteens."

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ See J. S. Morrison, Greek and Roman Oared Warships, Oxford 1996, pp. 294-96, for discussion of relevant texts and bibliography. Morrison reconstructs two tiers, two men to each oar.

[edit] References

  • Lionel Casson, Ancient Mariners: Seafarers and Sea Fighters of the Mediterranean in Ancient Times, 2nd ed., Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1991.
  • John S. Morrison, Greek and Roman Oared Warships. With contributions by J. F. Coates. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1996. Reconstruction, pp. 295-96, 268-69; drawing of rowing scheme (J. F. Coates) p. 295 fig. 59.