Roman and Ancient Sailors

The Romans were not keen on the idea of galley slaves, they existed by they were a minority. Oarsmen were usually citizens and freemen and was actually a well-paid profession.

But did they sing?

Probably wouldnt have the breath for it while rowing

funfact: an assembled team of olympic rowers can't sustain for a single hour, the pace that would have been required of bronze age rowers to make historical shipping times over the course of a week

That pace accounts for wind, rowers substitutions and shit. I quite doubt the average pro rower would be that much better if at all than an actual olympic rower.

What did Roman ships look like?

Of course it's a meme. These things are expensive, and the first line of defense of your nation/polis. They require enormous levels of coordination, as if the oars on one side are going faster than the other side, your galley turns around in circles helplessly.

You really think that they'd entrust something so vital and requiring such close coordination to slaves?

I thought that most classical mediterranean ships used sails for most movement, only breaking out the oars when you needed extremely precise movement. If you were shipping cargo, it was the wind carrying you, not banks of oarsmen.

>glad to be a NEET

you're disgusting

It did happen, most famously with the Barbary Pirates.

I imagine some sort of work song took place, as that seems to crop up whenever coordinated physical labor is done.

You set to the oars for battle (sails were usually left ashore, if possible, before a battle to save weight) or, when traveling long distances, if you became becalmed.