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234 DESTKUCTION OF THE GKEEK EMPIEE were triremes, biremes, fustae, parandaria, and galleys. As we shall find these terms recurring, it will be well to realise what they signified. The trireme of the fifteenth century was a long and fast vessel which had usually two masts, was very low in the water and, though employing sails, was mainly dependent for propulsion on her oars. The arrange- ment of oars from which she derived her name was not in tiers one above the other and thus requiring oars of different length. The ' banks ' or benches, unlike those in ancient ships, were all on the same level. The oars were short and all of the same length : but three oars projected through one rowlock port, each oar working on a tholepin. ' One man one oar ' was the invariable rule. Three men occupied one bench or seat. Down the middle of the trireme ran a central gangway called the histodoke, primarily intended as a rest for the mast, but upon which the officer passed to and fro to keep time for the oarsmen. There were thus three upon each side of him, or six men nearly abreast throughout the length of the trireme. The arrangement upon a bireme was of a similar character, except that two men instead of three occupied one bench. There was also but one mast. The fusta resembled the bireme in having two oarsmen on each bench on each side of the histodoke from the stern to the one central mast, but only one on each side from the mast forward. 1 The fusta was a lighter boat than the trireme, and could 1 The following illustration shows the arrangement of the boats. a.a.a.a. represent four rowlock ports, through each of which three oars pass, in the case of a trireme, pulled by three men on the seat marked with circles. It STERN