Olympias is a reconstruction (1985/87) of an ancient Athenian trireme and an important example of experimental archaeology. It is also a commissioned ship in the Hellenic Navy of Greece, the only commissioned vessel of its kind in any of the world's navies.
Hard to row when you're wearing a Sousaphone, though.
ReplyDeleteANCIENT JOKE:
ReplyDeleteBosun goes below, addresses the rowers:
"Awright, you slaves, I got good news and bad news."
"First the good news."
"Today every one of you gets a day off, and one at a time every one of you gets unchained and gets a bath on the foc'sle."
"Tonight, every one of you gets a double ration of chow, and instead of the usual brackish water, every one of you gets as much wine as you can drink."
"Now the bad news . . . : Tomorrow the Admiral's coming aboard and he's told the Captain that he wants to water-ski."
Unless they're using captives from Asia Minor as slave rowers, it's a pale imitation of the real thing.
ReplyDeleteBut I bet they pick up speed when the band plays "Louie Louie".
As a general rule the Greeks, Athenians any way, did not use slaves but well paid rowers. It was considered an honorable profession for a young man. It was one of the things that made Athens Navy so powerful.
DeleteJust think there are lots of people today who pay big money to use rowing machines at high priced fitness centers, where here you can do it all day and night for free.
ReplyDelete