Missile Trireme, Auxiliary Iberian Slingers

Description

Of all the warships found in the ancient world, it is the trireme, or trieres, that remains the most famous and recognisable. Nearly all Hollywood 'sword and sandal' movies will include a trireme somewhere. The vessel was entirely designed for war. Its name came from the three rows of oars carried on each side, stacked above each other in staggered columns to give the rowers some room to work. The top row of oars pivoted on a rowlock, or oarlock, mounted on an outrigger projecting from the hull. This allowed the top oars to pitch down at a sharper angle to reach the sea without getting tangled in the lower ones. The trireme was a greyhound of a ship, capable of high-speed dashes with a well-trained crew and, contrary to popular belief, not all rowers were slaves. Aboard Greek vessels they were citizens, and were given respect, not the lash. They were also largely fair-weather ships, and unsuited to rough seas such as the Atlantic; the lowest level of oars were, at most, less than half a metre above the waterline. That, however, did not stop the trireme being a superb weapon against other ships: a high-speed ramming attack could rip a hole in the side of almost any target. The type was also large enough to be used in other ways, which lead to it carrying archers and assorted light artillery pieces.

The Iberians harboured a great deal of respect for horses, even worshipping them as divine creatures. In times of war the horse had previously played a minor role, but gradually progressed from a symbol of prestige, and noble warrior’s ride to the battlefield, to becoming a major presence in the battle itself. Blessed with horses of great quality, Iberian cavalry grew to become one of the most potent weapons of the ancient world. Their horses were as fast and as nimble as the renowned Numidian steeds and, having been trained to cope with the rough terrain of the Iberian peninsula, were hardy beasts also. The combination of fine mounts and dextrous riders enabled Iberian cavalry to establish themselves as mercenaries sought after by both Carthage and Rome.