What are Athenian triremes?

A trireme (/ˈtraɪriːm/ TRY-reem; derived from Latin: trirēmis “with three banks of oars”; ‘triērēs, literally “three-rower”) was an ancient vessel and a type of galley that was used by the ancient maritime civilizations of the Mediterranean Sea, especially the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans.

What is Greek trireme?

The trireme (triērēs) was the devastating warship of the ancient Mediterranean with three banks of oars. Fast, manoeuvrable, and with a bronze-sheathed ram on the prow to sink an enemy ship, the trireme permitted Athens to build its maritime empire and dominate the Aegean in the 5th century BCE.

What did triremes do?

The Athenian navy employed an innovative ship design called the Trireme. Built for speed and agility and designed as an offensive weapon, the trireme allowed the ancient Greeks to destroy most of the Persian fleet and stop the western advance of the imperial Persian king.

Why are triremes called triremes?

A trireme was an Ancient Greek warship. They were the fastest, deadliest ships in the ancient world. They were called “triremes” because they had three tiers of oars. Soldiers stood on deck, while 170 oarsmen sat below.

What is a trireme for kids?

The Trireme was a Greek Warship. It was a massive wooden vessel that had both sails and three banks of oars. In fact, that’s why the ship was called a Trireme, as they had three tiers of oars.

What were Athenian ships called?

triremes
Athenian sacred ships were ancient Athenian ships, often triremes, which had special religious functions such as serving in sacred processions (theoria) or embassies or racing in boat races during religious festivals.

Trireme facts for kids. A Greek trireme. A Trireme is an ancient oar-driven warship powered by about 170 oars men. It was long and slender, had three tiers of oars and one sail. On the bow was a battering ram that was used to destroy enemy ships. The tip of the ram was made of bronze and could easily slice through the side of a wooden ship.

What was the purpose of the Greek trireme?

The Greek trireme was a warship used for ramming and making holes in enemy vessels. Using a three foot long bronze prow ram, trireme ships ran straight into enemy vessels creating a hole below the water line. The trireme would then back off and let the enemy ship sink.

How do you build a trireme?

To build a trireme, ship builders first built the hull and then installed ribs to add support. This type of building promoted flexibility. In addition to being flexible, triremes were also exceptionally lightweight. This was partially because they were made primarily of softwoods.

What are the advantages of a trireme?

A trireme with a well-trained crew could outmaneuver and disable most other types of ship on the Mediterranean Sea. Because it relied on human power rather than wind power, the trireme could travel any direction with great speed and change direction in a fraction of the time any other vessel of the same size could.