What could be more exciting than ancient warships?  The great monsters that prowled the ancient seas, who spread fear and exuded power with deadly grace. Nation’s fortunes were both made and destroyed by the success or failure of their fleets, and here are a few of the types that used to rule the seas… Trireme.  someinterestingfacts.net The classic Trireme first appeared during the eight century BC, as part of the Greek city of Corinth’s great fleet.  It would take a dominant role in the seas of the Mediterranean for the next thousand years and beyond.  The name derives, not from its oar decks, although it did indeed have three, but instead the number of oarsmen lined in banks of three.  The skilled oarsmen were tightly packed, one near the base (thalamois) the next overlapping slight above in the middle (Zygios) and the uppermost (thrantis) on the upper deck.  By arranging the oarsmen in this tight formation, which was repeated down the long length of the ship, they could keep the beam of the vessel narrow, thus maximising its power …