Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

NAVAL WARFARE. 77In the heroic days fleets were used merely for piracy. Ascommerce grew, piracy decreased. The best period of theGreek marine was from the Persian wai-s to Alexander's day.Themistocles was the founder of the Athenian navy. Untilthe fall of Syracuse, Athens was preeminent at sea. TheGreek fleets always played a great part in war.The irregular and rocky coast, as well as the sharp andsudden storms of Greece, necessitated the use of small craft.Ships of war were propelled by oars, using sails only as anauxiliary means. They were long and shoal, with one, twoor tlu-ee and more banks of oars.There was but small spaceexcept for rowers and soldiers. They could carry little victualand water, and had tobe accompanied by transports orelse keep close to shore. They landed, as a ride, every night,and the troops disembarked and camped.During storms theships ran great danger of shipwreck, or the fleets of dispersion.Transports and merchantmen used sails more than oars,and were in shape very much like tubs. They were calledround, as men of war were denominated long., ships. Eachterm was descriptive of the craft.As the best citizens preferred service as hoplites or horsemen,only thelower classes, freedmen or slaves, were left forthe fleet.But in times of danger much of the infantry servedaboard the vessels. The duties were simple and could beeasily learned.The triremes had from one hundred and fiftyrowers upwards, and carried forty to fifty and more hoplites.Sea-fights were apt to occur near shore. Fleets were mobileand could readily manceuvre. In order of battle they kept asclose together as ease of rowing would permit. The greateffort was to ram the enemy's vessels amidships, for whichpurjjose each Greek trireme had an iron prow. Or if its ruddercoidd be broken, a vessel was at the mercy of the adversary.Boarding was the common resort, in which both warriorsand oarsmen took a hand.