bireme
Sign in to saveA bireme (, ) is an ancient oared warship (galley) with two superimposed rows of oars on each side. Biremes were long vessels built for military purposes and could achieve relatively high speed. They were invented well before the 6th century BC and were used by the Phoenicians, Assyrians, and Greeks. thumb|right|250px|Greek bireme circa 500 BC, image from a Greek vase in the British Museum, which was found at [[Vulci in Etruria.]] thumb|Phoenician warship with two rows of oars, relief from Nineveh, ca. 700 BC
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5 sectionsContents
- Description
- Uses
- Dimensions and development
- See also
- References
A bireme (, ) is an ancient oared warship (galley) with two superimposed rows of oars on each side. Biremes were long vessels built for military purposes and could achieve relatively high speed. They were invented well before the 6th century BC and were used by the Phoenicians, Assyrians, and Greeks. thumb|right|250px|Greek bireme circa 500 BC, image from a Greek vase in the British Museum, which was found at [[Vulci in Etruria.]] thumb|Phoenician warship with two rows of oars, relief from Nineveh, ca. 700 BC
==Description== thumb|A Roman navy|Roman naval bireme depicted in a [[relief from the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia in Praeneste (Palastrina), which was built c. 120 BC; exhibited in the Pius-Clementine Museum in the Vatican Museums.]] The name bireme comes from "bi-" meaning two and "-reme" meaning oar.