This book, written in 1973, is for readers interested in the naval history of the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean. The period covered starts with Greek and Phoenician vessels of 800-700 BC and includes ships up to 800 AD. The aim of the book is to fill a gap by concentrating on the practical aspects of naval warfare in antiquity, and the battles selected for description are intended to show the development of tactics and strategy, rather than illustrate the general history of the period. It includes descriptions of the ships, crews, tactics and campaigns of Greek, Persian, Carthaginian, Hellenic, Roman, Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian and Byzantine fleets. Long out of print, this reprint brings an important text to modern readers.