N. A. M. Rodger's three-volume naval history provides a useful comparison. The volume spanning roughly a thousand years is much smaller than the later volumes, which cover only a few centuries. The imbalance shows how surviving sources become richer and more numerous closer to the modern period. It helps explain why battles such as Winchelsea receive less attention and why conclusions about them must remain sensitive to gaps in the record.
Notable Point · 57:42-1:00:28
Why medieval naval history has a thinner record
The compact modern literature covering a millennium of early naval history reflects scarce surviving evidence, not a lack of maritime activity.