How should the history of the Roman navy be divided into periods?
Short answerElliott divides it into the Republic, Principate, Dominate, and later Byzantine era, with the discussion concentrating on the first three.
NotesThe political chronology explains how Roman sea power changed. The Republic runs from 509 BC, the Principate from Augustus in 27 BC, and the Dominate from Diocletian's reforms in AD 284. Elliott treats the later Byzantine navy as a separate subject because its developments differ from those of the western empire. The interview concentrates on the first three periods and the fleet systems each produced.