The Warship, the Ship of the Line, the Ship of the Pixel, Great Pictures

Facts and pictures of warships.

“A good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.”

~President Theodore Roosevelt. 2 December 1902.

Galley tactics were the dominant form of naval tactics used from antiquity to the late 16th century.

The sailing ships began to replace oared ships as the principal form of warships.

Byzantine ship attacking with Greek fire.

An old picture… Madrid Skylitzes manuscript, 11th century.

Byzantine ship attacking with Greek fire. Public domain.

Galley tactics

In large-scale galley engagements, and tactics remained the same until the end of the 16th century.

The same basic crescent formation in line abreast that was employed at the battle of Lepanto in 1571.

It was also used by the Byzantine fleet almost a millennium before.