Ships-sailing-shipbuilding
In
Byzantine times commercial vessels decreased in size, becoming much smaller than
ancient Greek and Roman ones. Economy and flexibility were the reasons behind
this change, as ships had to meet the needs of the time. Loaded with large
quantities of cargo, they had to travel fast on long voyages over rough seas,
in constant fear of pirates. The
decrease in size did not always mean they were smaller in capacity - text
descriptions tell us there were ships that transported very large quantities of
wheat to Constantinople.
In
addition to written texts, shipwreck investigations are a valuable source of
information on how ships were made. These include the Yassi Ada shipwreck off Ancient
Halicarnassus, opposite Kos, which has been dated
to the early 7th century on the basis of coins found on it, and the
Serçe Liman shipwreck on the peninsula opposite Symi, which dates to around
1025. Yassi Ada was a trading ship about 20 metres long and 5.3 metres wide,
with a cargo capacity of around 60 tons. This wreck is extremely interesting,
as it was built in two different ways. One part was made in the Greco-Roman
way, where the
outer shell (the planking) was made first and then the frame fixed to the
inside – this would be like us building house walls and putting in the supports
afterwards. The rest of the ship was built using the medieval technique, where
the frame was made first and then the external panels attached to it.
Another
significant change in the field of shipbuilding was the invention of the single
rudder, which steered the boat much more easily than the one or two large oars earlier
used near the stern. This change must have taken place before the 10th century, both in Western Europe and in the Arab controlled Red Sea area. The widespread use of triangular sails went
hand in hand with the building of even lighter commercial vessels called
lateens. By the 12th century lateens were well established in the Mediterranean, and from there they spread to northern Europe. These changes enabled ships to make best use of
the wind, made rowers almost unnecessary and allowed longer voyages possible.
As
far as navigation is concerned, we know that there must have been specialized
sailors who calculated distances from points on land or based on the position
of the sun and stars, using an astronomical instrument known as an astrolabe.
Information on ports, coastlines, markets and the products of each region were
contained in special books called periplous
(circumnavigations); the only ones that have survived are the journey around
the Red Sea (in the 3rd century) and that
around the Black Sea (in the early 6th
century). We are unsure whether there were maps giving details of set routes,
reefs, distances between ports, etc., as the oldest known portolan charts
(sailing maps) are from the 16th century.
Warships and warfare
Warships
in Late Antiquity followed the shipbuilding tradition of the Greco-Roman world.
Surviving written sources mention small, manoeuvrable ships called liburnians, with a row of fifteen rowers
on each side.
In the 6th century the dromons (“runners”) made their appearance. According to the
historian Procopius, these took their name from the speed that they could reach.
Dromons were the main Byzantine warships in the 10th century. They
were 40 metres long, with two sets of oars and one or two masts: a central one
with a rectangular sail and a secondary one bearing a triangular sail, which
was used for fast sailing when not giving battle. They were the largest ships in
the fleet and had a crew of up to three hundred men. Those manning the bottom
row of oars were regarded as true oarsmen, whereas those above were more likely
marines. The captain’s cabin (kravvatos)
was located in the stern; from there, protected from the enemy arrows, he had a
full picture of how events were unfolding. Shields fixed were fixed at
particular points on the ship’s side to protect the marines. The dromons had a
raised corridor with war machines such as catapults, crossbows and cranes for
firing projectiles at enemy ships during battle. At the base of the main mast there
was an enclosed wooden tower called the xylokastron,
from which soldiers could hurl stones, iron rods and clay vessels full of lime,
snakes, lizards and scorpions at the enemy. A catapult for launching containers
of Greek fire was mounted in the prow. The ram on the front of ships was no
longer used from the middle of the 7th century; it reappeared after the 14th
century, when warships were equipped with cannon. The dromonia were auxiliary ships used for reconnaissance and special missions.
They were shaped like the dromons and had one or two masts with triangular
sails, but were not armed. Other small boats were the chelandia, with two rows of oars and one or two masts with
triangular sails for greater speed.
Information on Byzantine tactics in naval battles is
given by Leo the Wise in his book Naumachika
(The Naval Battles). The head of the fleet avoided confrontation with the
enemy if weather conditions were bad, since his main concern was to protect the
crew and ships.
Battle
formation depended on circumstances – a straight line was used to attack head
on, but otherwise ships formed a semicircle, with the admiral’s dromon in the
centre and the larger dromons at the edges, to avoid being encircled by the
enemy. When the signal to attack was given, each ship would speed up to draw
close to the enemy fleet, having a particular ship in its sights. On
approaching the soldiers would try to break down the enemy defences, while the
captain would give orders to draw up alongside the enemy ship and tie up to it,
to enable the soldiers to board and begin fighting man to man.
Neorion, the military port at Constantinople, was in use for as long as the Byzantine Empire existed. After the 7th or 8th century
there were local naval bases and shipyards for building new ships and repairing
old ones. Constantinople still had a shipyard
in the 10th and 11th century, and small dockyards
(shipyards) must have existed in regional ports.
Glossary (0)
Information Texts (4)
The city:
Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine
Empire, was built on the site of the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium, on the
triangular peninsula formed by the Golden Horn,
the Bosporus and the Sea
of Marmara. This was an excellent location that controlled trade
routes linking the Aegean to the Black Sea. Emperor Constantine founded Constantinople
in 330 AD as a city to rival Rome
in splendour, wealth and power. The city grew fast, leading to problems of
space and facilities, so Theodosius I extended it to the west by building new
strong walls that protected Constantinople
until the end of the Byzantine Empire.
The
city was laid out after Rome.
A main road, the Mese Odos, linked the palace to the Golden
Gate. On this road was the Forum, a circular plaza with a statue
of Constantine
mounted on a column, surrounded by public buildings. Theodosius I and Arcadius later
built more forums decorated with their own statues.
Following
the Nika riots in the 6th century, Justinian adorned Constantinople
with magnificent edifices, palaces, baths and public buildings. This time also
saw the construction of Agia Sophia (the Holy Wisdom), the church which served
as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate throughout the Byzantine period.
During
the 7th and 8th centuries Constantinople faced
major problems that threw it into disarray: attacks by the Avars (a siege in
674) and Arabs (attacks in 674 and 717-718); natural disasters (a powerful,
destructive earthquake in 740); and epidemics (plague in 747). Limited building
activity resumed in the 8th and 9th century, mainly concentrated on
strengthening the city's fortifications.
With
the recovery of the Byzantine Empire from the
9th to the 11th century, Constantinople became
the most populated city in Christendom; the majority of inhabitants were
Greek-speaking, but many other ethnic groups lived alongside them, such as
Jews, Armenians, Russians, Italians merchants, Arabs and mercenaries from Western Europe and Scandinavia. Many public, private and church-owned buildings were erected at the time, with
an emphasis on establishing charitable institutions such as hospitals, nursing
homes, orphanages and schools. Higher education flourished, thanks to the care
of the state and the emergence of important scholars. This renaissance lasted
until the mid-11th century, when economic problems due to poor management set
in, compounded by the adverse outcome of imperial operations beyond the borders.
The
Crusaders left Constantinople entirely
unscathed when first passing through, but in the Fourth Crusade of 1204 the
Franks conquered and ransacked the city, slaughtering those inhabitants they
did not take prisoner or drive out. In 1261 the city was retaken by Michael
VIII Palaeologus, who rebuilt most of the monuments and the walls but proved
unable to restore the city to its former splendour and glory. Enfeebled as it
was, the empire was incapable of checking the advance of the Ottomans, and in
1453 Constantinople finally fell into their
hands.
The fall signalled the end of the empire. Nevertheless, the Byzantine intellectual
tradition remained significant, as many scholars settled in the Venetian dominions
of Crete and the Peloponnese,
as well as in European countries, conveying Greek learning to the West.
The island:
Down the centuries, the
beauty of the Aegean landscape and the bountiful natural resources on Kos contributed to its emergence as an island with a long
history and rich cultural heritage perhaps disproportionate to its small size.
The island’s present-day character owes much to the material witnesses of the
past: the classical antiquities, the plethora of early Christian monuments and
the architecture and urban layout from the Italian occupation.
Lying between Karpathos and Nissiros, Kos
is the third largest island in the Dodecanese.
The first signs of human presence and activity have been confirmed by
archaeological finds from the Neolithic settlement in Aspri Petra cave, and the
fortified Early Bronze Age settlement on Serai Hill in the island capital.
Burials rich in ceramic grave goods bear witness to the presence of Mycenaeans
on the island, backed up by a reference to Kos
in the Iliad, in the catalogue of cities
that took part in the expedition against Troy.
Historic times found Kos participating alongside
Cnidos, Halicarnassus
and three Rhodian cities in the Doric Hexapolis, a federation of cities settled
by the Dorians of the Peloponnese. The island subsequently
passed into Persian hands, even taking part in their campaign against Greek
cities.
After the Persians were
defeated in 478 BC, Kos became part of the
Delian League. At that time it would appear that the island capital was
Astypalaia, on the site of present-day Kefalos. Excavations at Astypalaia have
revealed temples dating to the 5th century BC, dedicated to Demeter, Asclepius
and Omonoia, as well as a theatre and a wall. In 366 BC, while under the
control of Mausolus, the famed ruler of Caria,
the island's oldest villages were settled and new capital was founded at
Meropis, on the site of the present-day capital. Despite discord over its
political allegiance vis-à-vis the successor kingdoms of Alexander's empire, in
Hellenistic times Kos and its large temples
(including the panhellenic sanctuary of Asclepius) served as a major religious
centre. This was also the heyday of Ancient Alasarna, a settlement on the site
of what is now Kardamena.
From its inception in the 2nd
century BC, the Roman period on Kos was
hallmarked by high taxation, elaborate public works projects and modifications
and additions to the ancient temples. Major events in the first Christian
centuries include the arrival of the Apostle Paul in to preach Christianity in
57 AD, and a powerful earthquake in 142. In the reign of Emperor Diocletian
(284-305), Kos was incorporated into the
Kingdom of Caria (Regio Cariae) and the
Province of the Islands (Provincia Insularum).
As Christianity spread in
the Aegean, Kos
was organized into a diocese relatively early on - sources confirm that bishops
Meliphron and Julian took part in the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea (325) and Chalcedon (451) respectively.
The beginning of the Early Christian era on Kos
can apparently be traced to another powerful earthquake, in 469, which caused
severe damage across the island and resulted in many ancient temples being
abandoned. The impressive number of basilicas built in the 5th and 6th
century is not only indicative of the predominance of Christianity, but also of
contemporary wealth and prosperity. To date, eighteen basilicas and
settlements have been excavated in three rural areas (Mastichari, Kardamena and
Kefalos) and at least sixteen others have been located; in Kos
town, excavations have brought to light private buildings with elaborate mosaic
floors. Together with the production of marble architectural members and
mosaics, small scale installations such as pottery kilns and glass workshops
give an indication of the inhabitants’ commercial activities, attesting to the vitality
of both town and country. The previously held view that the flourishing Christian
era on Kos was brought to an end by an
earthquake in 554 is gradually being abandoned, since recent excavation data have
revealed that life continued until the mid-7th century, when the Arabs raided
the island in 654/655. From the early 5th to the early 7th century Kos suffered raids by the Vandals, Isaurians, Onogurs,
Bulgarians and probably the Avar Slavs. The 7th century was marked
by assault and plundering by the Persians of Chosroes II and the Arabs of Moab.
Very little is known of the period up until the mid-11th century, the so-called
"Dark Ages" of systematic Arab raids on the Aegean islands, which
resulted in dwindling settlements and a general climate of fear and uncertainty.
Existing information notes the administrative integration of Kos
into the Theme of Kibyrrhaiotai. Following the Byzantine defeat at
Manzikert (1071), and Seljuk and Turkmen raids in Asia
Minor, Kos played host to
refugees, including Christodoulos Latrenus, the monk who later founded the
Monastery of St John the Theologian on Patmos.
A chrysobull issued by Emperor Alexius I Comnenus granted the monk two areas
“[…] the one known locally as Kastelon, and that called Pilés’ place”, where Christodoulos founded the Monastery of
the Virgin Mary, also known as Monastery of Our Lady of Kastrianon (“the Castle
dwellers”), and erected Palaio Pyli Castle on the hill.
In the 12th century the Venetians
laid claim to Kos. From 1124 to 1126 the
island suffered raids after John II Comnenus refused to grant them privileges
in the islands; a chrysobull issued by Emperor Alexius III Angelus in 1198 finally
ratified Venetian economic privileges in parts of the empire including Kos. After the fall of Constantinople
to the Franks in 1204, the Partitio Romaniae assigned Kos
to the rule of the Latin emperor, though there is no written record of a Latin
diocese being established. The island was briefly recaptured by John Vatatzes
in 1224, and then passed back and forth between the Byzantines and the
Venetians before coming under the more permanent control of the latter in 1284.
The Knights Hospitaller
arrived in Kos between 1306 and1309. Another
round of exchanges between the Byzantines, the Venetians and the Hospitallers ended
in a lasting victory for the Knights from 1337 onwards. In the 14th century
they proceeded to shore up the island’s defences. Among other things they
repaired the existing walls at Antimachia and Kos
town, and even erected a strong perimeter wall with bastions around Kos Castle,
also known as Nerzantzia
Castle.
In the first half of the
15th century the island was plagued by attack from the Egyptians (1440 and
1444). From the fall of Constantinople to
Sultan Mehmed II up until the end of the century it was the turn of the
Ottomans to launch repeated raids on the island. The most significant assault
was in 1457, when a siege on the castle at Antimachia resulted in the
countryside being razed and depopulated. A major earthquake in 1493 rounded off
the distressing picture of dereliction. Kos
was surrendered to the Ottomans under Suleiman the Magnificent three decades
later, in 1523, a year after the Knights Hospitaller capitulated on Rhodes. Now subject to poll tax, Kos
lost its fertile lands, which were granted to the Ottomans as fiefs or vakufs.
Procopius:
Prolific Byzantine
historian. Born in Caesarea Palestinae,
he studied rhetoric, sophistry and law. He moved to Constantinople
at an early age, where he practiced as an orator and lawyer. He soon entered
the circle of General Belisarius as secretary and advisor, and followed him on
many campaigns. Procopius survived the great plague of Constantinople
(541-542), which he described in detail. His writings are considered the most
important source for the Justinian period, although admittedly he is not
impartial towards the emperor; from a certain point onwards he seems to be unfavourably
biased against both Justinian and Theodora. From 549 onwards Procopius lived permanently
in Constantinople, though no information has
survived on the final years of his life.
Leo VI :
Byzantine Emperor
from 886 to 912. Leo was also known as the Wise or the Philosopher on account
of being highly cultivated. He distinguished himself as an accomplished writer
and enthusiastic orator, writing poems, speeches and a military textbook, the Taktika. As emperor he attempted to
restore order to internal political life in the empire. His foreign policy might
be regarded as a failure, since during his reign Byzantium lost many provinces, while large
cities such as Thessaloniki
and the capital were besieged and plundered. He married four times in order to
produce a male heir, thus incurring the disapproval of the church; in order to
obtain permission for his fourth marriage he appointed Euthumios to the patriarchy
in place of Nicholas Mystikos, who was against him. Amid stormy protests he eventually
married Zoë Karvounopsena, who gave birth to the future emperor Constantine VII
Porphyrogenitus.
Bibliography (5)
1. Ahrweiler, H., Byzance et la mer, Paris, 1966
2. Van Doorninck, F.H.Jr., Bass G.F., Yassi Ada, College Station, Texas, 1982
3. Christides, V., Ibn al-Manqali (Mangli) and Leo VI: New Evidence on Arabo-byzantine Ship Construction and Naval Warfare, 1995
4. Van Doorninck, F.H.Jr., ‘The 11th-Century Byzantine Ship at Serçe Limani: An Interim Overview’ in Sailing Ships of the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf, Athens, 1998
5. Ανδριώτης, Ν., Καραπλή, Κ., Σπανούδης, Χ., Βυζαντινά και αραβικά ιστιοφόρα πλοία (7ος – 13ος αι.), Athens-Inuses, 2001
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