A full-scale replica of a 170-oared trireme called the Olympias, is a reconstruction of a 5th Century BC, Athenian trireme.

The ship, belonging to the Hellenic Navy, was constructed between 1985 and 1987.

The name Trireme or Triiris in Greek means three rows of paddles-rowers. The ships were designed to be maneuverable and assume missions as the antiquity’s littoral combat ships. Their maximum speed was eight knots which could rise to 10 knots with the use of sails in good wind conditions. Their crew consisted of 170-200 men, all of them free citizens, as no slaves or convicts were allowed to man the vessels. Pine wood was used in their construction, in order to keep the weight as low as possible.

Their main weapon was a 200 kg and two metres long wooden ram covered with metal. In addition to that, each vessel had a small detachment of soldiers and archers, while the rowers were armed in case they also had to attack a ship with close combat.

Most importantly, their design allowed for the trireme to be destroyed by an enemy vessel but without being sunk. This explains why there are almost no trireme shipwrecks.

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