Missile Trireme, Auxiliary Longbow Hunters

Description

Of all the warships found in the ancient world, it is the trireme, or trieres, that remains the most famous and recognisable. Nearly all Hollywood 'sword and sandal' movies will include a trireme somewhere. The vessel was entirely designed for war. Its name came from the three rows of oars carried on each side, stacked above each other in staggered columns to give the rowers some room to work. The top row of oars pivoted on a rowlock, or oarlock, mounted on an outrigger projecting from the hull. This allowed the top oars to pitch down at a sharper angle to reach the sea without getting tangled in the lower ones. The trireme was a greyhound of a ship, capable of high-speed dashes with a well-trained crew and, contrary to popular belief, not all rowers were slaves. Aboard Greek vessels they were citizens, and were given respect, not the lash. They were also largely fair-weather ships, and unsuited to rough seas such as the Atlantic; the lowest level of oars were, at most, less than half a metre above the waterline. That, however, did not stop the trireme being a superb weapon against other ships: a high-speed ramming attack could rip a hole in the side of almost any target. The type was also large enough to be used in other ways, which lead to it carrying archers and assorted light artillery pieces.

The German warrior was exposed on an open, flat battlefield but, when fighting in hills and woodland, he had the advantage. Most were raised as hunters in dense forests, so became expert at stealthy manoeuvres and laying ambush. Whilst their battle tactics were proven, their longbows, often two metres in length and made of yew, lacked the power and accuracy of composite bows made in the east. Their ammunition was also somewhat lacking: limited iron supplies meant these men often fired bone-tipped arrows that struggled to pierce enemy armour. On the battlefield, archers lined up behind slingers - afforded some protection by the shields of the warriors in front of them.