"Trireme Formations" Topic

How were Greek Trireme squadrons organized?

Did they have sub units?

How many ships could one commander control?

Did a leader get whatever followers he could by force of personality, or were there standard ‘unit' sizes?

I am not aware of good evidence from the period. However, if one looks at 16th century Mediterranean galley fleets, the very largest recorded squadrons (eg Lepanto) are 60-65 vessels strong, and that number was only ever found in the central squadrons which usually manoeuvred less. Flank squadrons were usually a maximum of 50-54 ships. I stress these are maxima, not norms.

Two probable reasons. Firstly, the challenge of passing orders up and down the squadron in an age before sophisticated signal flags and books. Secondly, and probably more importantly, the sheer problem of keeping a squadron in line abreast. Any variations in station keeping would tend to require ever greater adjustments by ships further from the centre, leaving the ones on the extreme flanks potentially exhausted before closing with the enemy, let alone the ability to wheel the line to any degree.

Thanks. Those are good points. Do you have recommended reading on Later Galley tactics and formations?

I would think relying on cannons and boarding instead of ramming and withdrawing would make formation keeping a little less important.

If by later galleys, you mean 16th century, then there is nothing better, in my opinion, than John Guilmartin's Gunpowder and Galleys.

The introduction of heavy cannon did nothing to lessen the importance of formation keeping, as 90% of the time – probably 99% of the time in a fleet action – the guns were only fired at point blank (a Spanish term, punto blanco) or what was known euphemistically as "cloth-burning" range just before the boarding spur hit the target ship, to clear a path for the boarders.

Thanks!

Yikes. $75 USD on Amazon, and not in my library's catalogue.

Abebooks have a copy for $65. USD

Ok. Found it here:

link

And now that I see it. I realize that I have it!😇