in the naval architecture of the ancients, a name given to a galley which had five rows of oars. They divided their vessels in general into quinocrota and polycrota*. The former had only one tire of rowers: the latter had several tires of them, from two or three up to 20, 30, or even 40; for such a vessel we have an account of in the time of Philopater, which required no less than 4000 men to row it.

Meibom has taken off from the imaginary improbability of there ever having been such a vessel, by reducing the enormous height supposed necessary for such a number of rows of oars and men to work them, by finding a better way of placing the men than others had thought of. The quinqueremes of the ancients had 420 men in each; 300 of which were rowers, and the rest soldiers. The Roman fleet at Melfina consisted of 330 of these ships; and the Carthaginian, at Lilybaeum, of 350 of the same size. Each vessel was 150 feet long. Thus 130,000 men were contained in the one, and 150,000 in the other, with the apparatus and provisions necessary for such expeditions as they were intended for. This gives so grand an idea of the ancient naval armaments, that some have questioned the truth of the history; but we find it related by Polybius, an historian too authentic to be questioned, and who expresses his wonder at it while he relates it.