Greek Technology > Leontophoros

Leontophoros

Leontophoros was a renowned ship built in Heraclea for Lysimachos; it stood as one of the largest wooden ships ever constructed. A textual fragment by Memnon, the historian of Heraclea, describes the ship:

"There was an octareme, called Leontophoros, remarkable for its size and beauty. This ship had one hundred men rowing in each file, amounting to eight hundred men on each side, with a total of one thousand six hundred oarsmen. Additionally, one thousand two hundred fighters operated from the deck, and there were two helmsmen."

According to historian Tarn, the ship was initially built for Demetrius I of Macedon and, after his death, passed to Lysimachos. However, this claim is disputed. Morrison analyzed this information, using data from Vitruvius regarding the space required for each oarsman. Morrison concluded that the ship was at least 110 meters long and almost 10 meters wide. These dimensions, among other parameters of the ship, are subjects of controversy.

Several objections arise against the idea of such a large wooden ship:

• With Morrison's proposed dimensions (110 meters long, almost 10 meters wide), the vessel would have been difficult to maneuver.
• A seagoing wooden ship might be safe within the size range of 70–75 meters, but beyond that, metal bracings are necessary to strengthen the hull.
• The proposed size exceeds that of the longest ships of the line from the 19th century. If the hull becomes too long, it cannot withstand differential pressures caused by surface waves.
• It would be surprising if a ship of such size did not suffer from structural problems.

Unlike other known super-ships of the Hellenistic age, such as the Tessarakonteres and Syracusia, Leontophoros actually participated in battles. Lysimachos was killed in 281 BCE, and his fleet, including Leontophoros, was inherited by Ptolemy Keraunos, who then became the king of Macedonia. The ship played a crucial role in the defeat of Antigonus II by Ptolemy in 280 BCE. Memnon notes:

"When battle was joined, the victory went to Ptolemy, who routed the fleet of Antigonus. The ships from Heracleia fought most bravely, and among them, the prize went to the eight-banker 'lion-bearer'."

Morrison writes that despite her success in battle, the experiment of such a large ship was not repeated. Nevertheless, Lysimachos's ship was remembered for its beauty.

Sources

Memnon. History of Heraclea.

W. W. Tarn (1930). Hellenistic military and naval developments. Cambridge University Press.

W. Murray (2012). The age of Titans. Oxford University Press.

Morrison, J.S. (1996). Greek and Roman oared ships. Oxford: Oxbow Books.

Plutarch. Greek Lives.