Were galley oarsmen slaves or elite crew?

Were ancient galley oarsmen an elite workforce, and how were they treated?

They were skilled crew doing heavy physical work. Keeping them healthy, well fed and able to move was essential to the ship's fighting ability.

Effective galley oarsmen were highly conditioned specialists. They needed adequate food, health and freedom to move when off the oars, since exhaustion or illness could disable the ship. Its offensive power and survival depended on the rowing banks producing controlled speed and manoeuvre. These demands form an argument against keeping combat rowers chained and treating their lives as disposable, while their precise legal status remains debated.