What was life like for a galley slave?

Galley-slaves lived in unsavoury conditions, so even though some sentences prescribed a restricted number of years, most rowers would eventually die, even if they survived the conditions, shipwreck and slaughter or torture at the hands of enemies or of pirates.

How long did galley slaves live?

Well, they didn’t die out until late in the reign of Louis XIV, in the early 1700s. A century and a half before, the King of France decreed that all galley prisoners would serve at least ten years. Surviving for ten years in a galley was no mean trick. Galley slaves were branded with the letters G-A-L.

What is ship galley?

galley, large seagoing vessel propelled primarily by oars. The Egyptians, Cretans, and other ancient peoples used sail-equipped galleys for both war and commerce.

Did Romans use galley slaves?

Rome did not use galley slaves. Romes Navy , used sailors and marines to row their ships. Their ships carried between 200 and 400 sailors and marines.

How fast was a Roman galley?

The estimated average speed of Renaissance-era galleys was fairly low, only 3 to 4 knots, and a mere 2 knots when holding formation. Short bursts of up to 7 knots were possible for about 20 minutes, but only at the risk of exhausting rowers.

Who invented the galley?

Phoenician
Shipbuilders, probably Phoenician, a seafaring people who lived on the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, were the first to create the two-level galley that would be widely known under its Greek name, diērēs, or bireme.

How many men were on a galley?

They could be manned by crews of up to 1,000 men and were employed in both trade and warfare. A further boost to the development of the large merchant galleys was the upswing in Western European pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land.

How much does a galley ship weigh?

Commercial galleys were bigger than military galleys and therefore even more expensive to build. Large crews made them expensive to operate. For their size, they had a relatively small carrying capacity of approximately 250 to 350 tons.