A single naval technology change triggered the first ancient ship arms race.

Evidence

Around 700 BCE, a simple pole of cast bronze, mounted at the waterline of the bow, turned what had been vessels of transport into weapons. Galleys, powered primarily by people pulling oars, began to charge into the sides of other galleys, attempting to breach their hulls and sink them. Ships fought rival ships at close range, and one-on-one, fulfilling the final ingredient of an arms race; faster ships prevailed. Speed required lots of oars, and more oars meant bigger ships. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 533

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Ancient naval arms races ran to oversized, nonfunctional ships and collapsed; Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962

Related

• Ancient naval arms races ran to oversized, nonfunctional ships and collapsed (similarity 0.90)
• Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals (similarity 0.87)
• Slow-killing weapons made big warships advantageous and drove an arms race. (similarity 0.84)
• The bronze ram converted galleys into individuals subject to linear-law duels (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals #expands (0.85) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962