Hyperetika: Auxiliary Ships in the Service of Ancient Greek and Roman Navies

Best known for their immense warships, the Greek and Roman war fleets also included units that did not participate in military confrontations. Auxiliary ships, largely known as hyperetika, constituted the majority of vessels in battle fleets and were a vital tool of ancient thalassocracies to carry out expeditions and rule over vast maritime areas. The cost of building and maintaining fleets required substantial funds, which in addition to warships, supported a broad variety of crafts. Although navies did not construct any specific typology of auxiliary ships, our investigation identified three categories: fast ships, troop- and horse-carriers, and reused merchantmen.