Excerpt from On Ancient Galleys: And Their Mode of Propulsion
Pliny states that the Erythr?ans were the first who built biremes. Various ancient writers give the Corinthians the credit for having been the first to construct triremes. "And now Greece," remarks Thucydides, "began to construct navies and to apply herself more assiduously to nautical affairs. The first who introduced a change in the structure of vessels, so as to form them very nearly in the present mode, are said to have been the Corinthians; and triremes are thought to have been built first for Greece at Corinth. It appears, too, that Amiocles, a Corinthian ship-builder, also constructed four such vessels for the Samians."
Although triremes, in the time of Thucydides, and for some centuries afterwards, were more approved for purposes of war than any other description of vessel, the authority of Pliny, Diodorus, Siculus, Athen?us, Polybius, and others, is sufficient proof that vessels of four, five, six, and ten banks of oars were built; - that Alexander increased the number of banks to twelve; - that Philip, father of Perseus, had a galley of sixteen banks; and - that vessels of four and five banks were frequently engaged in war. The triremes, however, were much more numerous than any other class of galleys except those which had only one bank of oars.
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