The ancient sailing season / by James Beresford.

• Author: Beresford, James, 1972-
• Year of Publication: 2013
• Language: English
• Series: Mnemosyne, Supplements 351.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (380 p.)
• Notes: Title from PDF title page (viewed on Dec. 3, 2012).

Providing a comprehensive examination of the capacity of ancient ships and seafarers to cope with seasonally changing sea conditions, this book draws on a wide range of ancient literary sources while also taking account of modern weather records, hydrological data, and recent archaeological discoveries. Taking a fresh look at the various ways in which seasonality affected maritime transport across the sea-lanes of the ancient world, this book offers new perspectives on the nature of seaborne trade, naval warfare and piratical operations. The result is a volume that questions many long-held scholarly assumptions concerning the strength and seaworthiness of ancient vessels, as well as the abilities of Greek and Roman mariners, to regularly undertake voyages across hazardous stretches of sea.

Table of Contents

Front Matter -- The State of Modern Scholarship -- The Textual Evidence -- The Mediterranean Climatic Regime -- Ships and Sails -- Navigation -- The Sailing Season of the Indian Ocean -- Ancient Pirates and Fishermen -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Illustration Section -- Index.