Propulsion and combat power in this period both depended directly on people. Rowers supplied the motive power, while soldiers and sailors personally delivered nearly every weapon effect. The quinquereme arrangement described here places five rowers across three oars, with one man on the lowest oar and two on each of the others. More rowers provide more power, but also require a heavier and more complicated ship. A fleet of a few hundred galleys therefore needed enormous numbers of personnel.
Chapter · 1:55-5:16
Ancient fleets as human-powered systems
Hundreds of galleys required huge crews because people supplied their propulsion and almost all their combat power.