Ancient Greek Ships

1. Ships were of great importance to the Ancient Greeks both for trade and for war.

2. In Ancient Greek times Greece traded with countries such as Egypt, Syria and Sicily for wealth.

3. Because Greece was mountainous, the sea was the easiest way to transport goods.

4. The Ancient Greeks used merchant ships for this trade.

5. Ancient Greek merchant ships were normally very slow since they were designed to carry large cargoes.

6. The merchant ships were made of wood and were wide and deep in order to carry large cargoes.

7. The merchant ships usually had one mast and a rectangular sail.

8. The merchant ships carried oars, but were usually powered by sails, the oars were only used when the wind dropped.

9. Anchors were important so the ships were safe at shore - at first a plain stone was used, then the Greeks developed a two-armed anchor.

10. Warships were also vital, both to protect the trading ships against pirates, and to defend against invasion.

11. The Ancient Greeks won battles because their ships were so good.

12. Ancient Greek warships were designed for speed and manoeuvrability, being light, narrow and sitting low in the water.

13. Although they had sails, Ancient Greek warships were normally powered by oars in battle to make them easier to steer.

14. The most powerful Ancient Greek ships were triremes which were about 35 metres long and 3 metres tall.

15. Triremes had three rows of oarsmen to give them maximum speed.

16. Triremes had a pointed prow with a bronze-covered battering-ram under the water at the front to ram and sink enemy ships.

17. Triremes carried about 170 oarsmen as well as archers and soldiers on the top deck.

18. Soldiers could board enemy vessels and fight if the ram failed to sink them.

19. The problem with triremes was that they were light and could be blown off course if it was windy.

20. The Ancient Greeks went on to build three and four tier ships called quinqueremes.

21. The quinqueremes had oars on every level and were much heavier.

22. The bottoms of the quinqueremes were covered with lead to protect them from being rammed.