Athenian sacred ships were ancient Athenian ships, often triremes, which had special religious functions such as serving in sacred processions (theoria) or embassies or racing in boat races during religious festivals.[1] The two most famous such ships were the Paralus and the Salaminia, which also served as the messenger ships of the Athenian government in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.[2] Other notable ships included one possibly named the Delias, a triakonter (thirty-oared galley) believed to be the ship in which Theseus had sailed to Crete, and which was involved in several traditional theoria to Delos; the vessel was constantly repaired by replacing individual planks to keep it seaworthy while maintaining its identity as the same ship.[3] (For the philosophical question of the ship's identity, see Ship of Theseus.) After the reforms of Cleisthenes, a ship was named for each of the ten tribes that political leader had created; these ships may also have been sacred ships.[4]
The Paralus and the Salaminia, and possibly some other sacred ships, served in the Athenian combat fleet. Those two vessels, being particularly swift, were used as scout and messenger ships, but also fought in the line of battle.[5] The Paralus and Salaminia, meanwhile, also performed various tasks for the government; the Paralus appears to have carried most diplomatic missions,[6] and the Salaminia carried official state messages;[7] most famously, it was sent to arrest Alcibiades while that politician was commanding the Sicilian Expedition.[8] These two triremes also had dedicated treasurers, or tamiai.[9]
^Treasurers for the Paralus and another sacred vessel, the Ammonias, are attested at Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians, 61; and most modern scholars, believing that the Ammonias had replaced the Salaminia, assign a treasurer to the Salaminia as well (see Lewis, Athenian Navy, 71), although Jordan (Athenian Navy, 167, 177) disagrees and assigns the treasurer only to the Ammonias.
Lewis, David M. "Book Review: The Athenian Navy in the Classical Period by Borimir Jordan". Classical Philology Vol. 73 No. 1 1978, pp. 70–72.
Xenophon, A History of my Times
January 01, 1970
athenian, sacred, ships, were, ancient, athenian, ships, often, triremes, which, special, religious, functions, such, serving, sacred, processions, theoria, embassies, racing, boat, races, during, religious, festivals, most, famous, such, ships, were, paralus,. Athenian sacred ships were ancient Athenian ships often triremes which had special religious functions such as serving in sacred processions theoria or embassies or racing in boat races during religious festivals 1 The two most famous such ships were the Paralus and the Salaminia which also served as the messenger ships of the Athenian government in the 5th and 4th centuries BC 2 Other notable ships included one possibly named the Delias a triakonter thirty oared galley believed to be the ship in which Theseus had sailed to Crete and which was involved in several traditional theoria to Delos the vessel was constantly repaired by replacing individual planks to keep it seaworthy while maintaining its identity as the same ship 3 For the philosophical question of the ship s identity see Ship of Theseus After the reforms of Cleisthenes a ship was named for each of the ten tribes that political leader had created these ships may also have been sacred ships 4 An ancient Greek trireme The Paralus and the Salaminia and possibly some other sacred ships served in the Athenian combat fleet Those two vessels being particularly swift were used as scout and messenger ships but also fought in the line of battle 5 The Paralus and Salaminia meanwhile also performed various tasks for the government the Paralus appears to have carried most diplomatic missions 6 and the Salaminia carried official state messages 7 most famously it was sent to arrest Alcibiades while that politician was commanding the Sicilian Expedition 8 These two triremes also had dedicated treasurers or tamiai 9 References edit Jordan Athenian Navy 154 157 Jordan Athenian Navy 153 Jordan Athenian Navy 160 161 Jordan Athenian Navy 179 see however Lewis Athenian Navy 71 for scholarly caution on expanding the number of sacred ships too far Jordan Athenian Navy 158 159 167 Jordan Athenian Navy 173 Jordan Athenian Navy 166 Thucydides The Peloponnesian War 6 53 Treasurers for the Paralus and another sacred vessel the Ammonias are attested at Aristotle Constitution of the Athenians 61 and most modern scholars believing that the Ammonias had replaced the Salaminia assign a treasurer to the Salaminia as well see Lewis Athenian Navy 71 although Jordan Athenian Navy 167 177 disagrees and assigns the treasurer only to the Ammonias Sources editAristotle Athenian Constitution Translated by Frederic George Kenyon via Wikisource Jordan Borimir The Athenian Navy in the Classical Period Berkeley University of California Press 1975 ISBN 0 520 09482 4 Lewis David M Book Review The Athenian Navy in the Classical Period by Borimir Jordan Classical Philology Vol 73 No 1 1978 pp 70 72 Xenophon A History of my Times Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Athenian sacred ships amp oldid 1156217986, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
