Ancient Navies and Vessels

Ancient navies had a large impact on the navies of today. The outcomes of battles between ancient navies have been studied by the military to learn tactics that would help in their conquests. The ships that these civilizations created were what many ship designs were based on and allowed the vessels to become better built. The Punic Wars are one of the most notorious wars in history and the vessels and tactics of all three wars have are a major part of military history.

Ships and boats were an important part of the ancient Egyptian's life. The earliest boats in Egypt were made during the time of the Old Kingdom where they were used along the Nile River. Because of the lack of wood, boats were made with bundled papyrus reeds. The boats were 25 meters long, two to three meters wide, and sixty centimeters deep which allowed seating for 30 rowers with one to two rudder oars. Hulls were sickle shaped and often had masts and deck houses. Over time the Egyptians tried to transport heavier loads and this brought about the desire for stronger boats. Trade and war also assisted in the desire to have stronger, sturdier vessels. The wooden vessels were similar to those made of reeds but the main difference was the eventual adoption of a single square mast that was fastened to the gunwale. After being reinforced, it was able to carry 300 ton loads up and down the Nile River. These vessels, despite being reinforced, were unable to be used in the Mediterranean or Red Seas. The use of ships in Egyptian Warfare is as old as conflict in Egypt itself but there was very little ability for sea travel to be achieved. When sea travel was obtained, the vessels and the wars they were in were depicted in red on pottery of that time period.

The Achaemenid Empire, also known as the Persian Empire, had primarily a land based military but around 5th century BC, the Empire decided to make a Navy to allow for expansion. Their first ships were built by Phoenicians in their shipyards. These ships were 40 meters in length and 6 meters in width and able to carry 300 soldiers. Shortly after these ships were made, arsenals were made to make new ships as well as improve and repair the vessels. These ships were used to sail the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, and coastal areas. The mariners of these vessels were Phoenicians, Greeks, Cypriots, and Egyptians. The Phoenicians however became the primary mariners of the vessels they made. These ships also had a metal blade in the front to cut enemy ships in half when ramming. They also had hooks which were used to catch and stop enemy ships. The Empire had three different major naval bases. The first was along the Shaat aI-Arab waterway. The second was to protect the eastern and southern parts of the Mediterranean Sea. The third was located in Cilica and had a main goal of influencing the Greeks. These bases were kept on constant battle readiness in the case they had to project their power.

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Wikipedia