Ancient naval arms races ran to oversized, nonfunctional ships and collapsed

Evidence

Vehicles also often fight in one-on-one duels and, as in animals, this can trigger an arms race. Above: The addition of a battering ram precipitated explosive growth in ship size in oared galleys of the ancient Mediterranean, settling in the end on the “five.” Below: Side-mounted cannons had the same effect on sailing galleons. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962 (#expands, via linked claim)

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 (#expands, via linked claim)

What unfolded was one of the grandest naval arms races of all time, as shipwrights struggled to add speed and power to their vessels, and each new innovation from one side was instantly copied and then bested by the other. Early galleys such as the penteconter had roughly 25 oarsmen per side, and the first attempts to add speed and power involved lengthening the hull to add more oars. But ships rapidly reached a maximum at roughly 130 feet, beyond which the hulls buckled in rough seas. By around 600 BCE modifications to the hull permitted greater height, and a second tier of rowers was added above the first, doubling the power. These new ships could pack their power into shorter hulls, which were stronger and more maneuverable than longer ships. The bireme had a wooden hull just 80 feet long and 10 feet wide, but it now housed 50 oarsmen per side, for a total of 100 oars. Triremes soon followed, with the addition of still greater height and a third tier of oars. Triremes grew to 130 feet long and 20 feet wide, propelled by 180 oars. The trireme reached a maximum, however, since increases in ship length meant buckling, and increases in ship height (for additional rows of oars) meant tipping. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 262 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A single naval technology change triggered the first ancient ship arms race. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 533; Physical constraints capped ancient galley size like they limit animal weapons — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 262; Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962 (+1 more)

Related

• A single naval technology change triggered the first ancient ship arms race. (similarity 0.90)
• Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals (similarity 0.89)
• Physical constraints capped ancient galley size like they limit animal weapons (similarity 0.89)
• Slow-killing weapons made big warships advantageous and drove an arms race. (similarity 0.85)
• The bronze ram converted galleys into individuals subject to linear-law duels (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• A single naval technology change triggered the first ancient ship arms race. #expands (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 533
• Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals #expands (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962
• Physical constraints capped ancient galley size like they limit animal weapons #corroborates (0.55) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 262
• Slow-killing weapons made big warships advantageous and drove an arms race. #contradicts (0.45) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 445