No abstract

Navigations in the Indian Ocean, well attested in the ancient periplographical and geographical literature, pose a series of questions to the historian. These investigations are more often than not fragmentary and provide information only on some of the desired data. Nor can they attest the existence of cartographic representations. However, whether they are Greek or Latin, many navigators had experienced what is was to sail in the Indian Ocean at that time, offering a constantly evolving representation of this area.

This book represents a significant contribution to the fields of Hellenistic archaeology, Hellenistic economy, naval architecture and shipping in the eastern Mediterranean. It asks (and answers) questions that are often simply assumed and not systematically investigated. — Dr. Conor Trainor, University of Warwick What can the architecture of ancient ships tell us about their capacity to carry cargo or to navigate certain trade routes? How do such insights inform our knowledge of the ancient economies that depended on maritime trade across the Mediterranean? These and similar questions lie behind Sailing from Polis to Empire, a fascinating insight into the practicalities of trading by boat in the ancient world. Allying modern scientific knowledge with Hellenistic sources, this interdisciplinary collection brings together experts in various fields of ship archaeology to shed new light on the role played by ships and sailing in the exchange networks of the Mediterranean. Covering all parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, these outstanding contributions delve into a broad array of data – literary, epigraphical, papyrological, iconographic and archaeological – to understand the trade routes that connected the economies of individual cities and kingdoms. Unique in its interdisciplinary approach and focus on the Hellenistic period, this collection digs into the questions that others don’t think to ask, and comes up with (sometimes surprising) answers. It will be of value to researchers in the fields of naval architecture, Classical and Hellenistic history, social history and ancient geography, and to all those with an interest in the ancient world or the seafaring life.

La formation des officiers de marine vise à la fois des marins, des militaires et des ingénieurs aptes à assumer des responsabilités opérationnelles dans un environnement complexe. L’École navale doit donc adapter sa pédagogie pour répondre aux besoins de demain tout en s’appuyant sur un socle solide avec le bon sens marin.

Les raids nautiques sont sans doute la forme la plus ancienne de la guerre sur mer. Pourtant, l’histoire de la guerre du Péloponnèse retient plus facilement les batailles navales qui marquèrent la dernière phase du conflit, ainsi que l’expédition de Sicile menée en 415 av. J.-C., dont l’ampleur occulte sans doute les précédentes. Thucydide, qui fut à la fois un témoin et un acteur ponctuel des expéditions navales de la première phase du conflit, propose un récit riche en informations sur les aspects opérationnels de la guerre menée dans la zone littorale et dans les espaces insulaires.