Thursday 31 October 2013

Them triremes..

The triremes which saved Greece from the Persians were not the same as used in the Peleoponnesian War. Themistocles fleet were lighter and lower than their Persian opponents and not decked-over.
The smaller number of epibatai tells of less space to carry troops. The 10 hoplites and 4 archers were enough to defend the forecastle when ships were in contact briefly during a ramming attack but not enough to risk using boarding as a main tactic.

I have made some models with a narrow deck bridge which link the forecastle and the quarter deck. The thranites are visible, toiling over their oars and the helmsman with his tillers. The trierarch's chair is empty as yet.. Their are low rails on the sides.

Themistocletian Triremes

Can you smell the sweat ?

No comments:

Post a Comment