Changes of engagement and construction Trireme

coin minted romano-britannic usurper-emperor allectus (r. 293-296 ad), depicting trireme on reverse

during hellenistic period, light trireme supplanted larger warships in dominant navies, pentere/quinquereme. maximum practical number of oar banks ship have three. number in type name did not refer banks of oars more (as biremes , triremes), number of rowers per vertical section, several men on each oar. reason development increasing use of armour on bows of warships against ramming attacks, again required heavier ships successful attack. increased number of rowers per ship, , made possible use less well-trained personnel moving these new ships. change accompanied increased reliance on tactics boarding, missile skirmishes , using warships platforms artillery.

triremes continued mainstay of smaller navies. while hellenistic kingdoms did develop quinquereme , larger ships, navies of greek homeland , smaller colonies afford triremes. used diadochi empires , sea powers syracuse, carthage , later rome. difference classical 5th century athenian ships armoured against ramming , carried more marines. lightened versions of trireme , smaller vessels used auxiliaries, , still performed quite against heavier ships, greater manoeuvrability.

with rise of rome biggest fleet of quinqueremes temporarily ruled mediterranean, during civil wars after caesar s death fleet on wrong side , new warfare light liburnas developed. imperial times fleet relatively small , had political influence, controlling grain supply , fighting pirates, employed light biremes , liburnians. instead of successful liburnians of greek civil war, again centred around light triremes, still many marines. out of type of ship, dromon developed.