trireme, oar-powered warship that reached its highest point of development in the eastern Mediterranean during the 5th century bce. Light, fast, and maneuverable, it was the principal naval vessel with which Persia, Phoenicia, and the Greek city-states vied for mastery of the seas from the Battle of Salamis in 480 bce through the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404.
The Athenian trireme, which may be considered the epitome of the type, can be reconstructed with reasonable accuracy on evidence gathered from archaeological excavations, painted pottery, and the writings of classical authors such as Thucydides. Its unprecedented propulsive power was achieved by the arrangement of 170 oarsmen in three tiers along each side of the vessel—31 in the top tier, 27 in the middle, and 27 in the bottom. The hull was a thin shell of planks joined edge-to-edge and then stiffened by a keel and light transverse ribs. Such light construction enabled the trireme to displace only 40 tons on an overall length of approximately 120 feet (37 metres) and a beam of 18 feet (5.5 metres); no ballast was used. The trireme is said to have been capable of reaching speeds greater than 7 knots (8 miles per hour, or 13 km/hr) and perhaps as high as 9 knots under oars. Square-rigged sails were used for power when the ship was not engaged.
The principal armament of the trireme was a bronze-clad ram, which extended from the keel at or below the waterline and was designed to pierce the light hulls of enemy warships. In addition, the ship carried a complement of spearmen and bowmen who attacked enemy crewmen or attempted to board their vessels. By the end of the 4th century bce, armed deck soldiers had become so important in naval warfare that the trireme was superseded by heavier, decked-over ships with multiple rows of oarsmen.