Braving Seas and Skies

A bireme is an ancient warship with two rows of oars on either side. It was used in Ancient times by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Etruscans, Carthaginians and Romans. The first Greek bireme
was probably made in the 9th century BC, due to Phoenician influence. In sea battles only the oars were used, not the sails.

The bireme was later substituted by the trireme, which had
three rows of oars and was therefore larger and faster.

Ram

The ship’s main weapon was the ram, a pointed, metal-covered projection at the foot of the bow, which could render an enemy ship useless by puncturing its hull.

Rows of oars

The proper rhythm of rowing was kept by drums, pipes and singing.

The hull was slender, with a somewhat rounded and continuously curving central part, a thin
stern and a slightly wider bow.
The keel was bent upwards
in the rear of the ship, while
the bow was decorated with
a painted eye or bird’s head, and ended in a protruding ’ram’.

Steering oars

These large oars placed in the rear of the ship, on its both sides, were used for manoeuvring.

Rowing benches

Most of the space on the
deck was taken up by the rowing benches: there were
12 pairs of oars on each side and a total of 50–150 rowers.