The Realities and Logistics of the “Galley Cultures” of the Aegean from the Late Bronze to the Early Iron Age

ABSTRACT Toward the end of the Bronze Age, a new type of oared vessel appeared in the Aegean. This new type of galley, a low, swift vessel, was most likely the first purpose-built warship in the region, surviving the dramatic end of the Bronze Age and well into the Early Iron Age. It was an ideal ship for warfare, piracy, and short travels within the unique seascapes of the archipelago, and its predominance in iconography indicates its importance in contemporary culture, suggesting the existence of a “galley culture,” in which galleys played a great role both as functional vessels and as symbols of power. This galley culture and the role it played in the development of contemporary civilization is the subject of this article, which particularly focuses on the practicalities and the logistics behind the construction and operation of galley fleets and the consequences for contemporary Aegean societies.