Created by the Greeks this maritime weapon was designed by mimicking the movement of the fish. The Greeks used it to fight the Persians and the Romans copied and used it to subdue Pirates of the Mediterranean and against their hated rivals, Cartage.

Triremes were Greek warships with three rows of oars, inspired by fish movement for speed and maneuverability in battle. They were crucial in Greek-Persian conflicts (Salamis, 480 BCE) and later adopted by Romans. Biremes had two oar banks, galleys is a broader category, and galleons are much later (16th-17th century Spanish sailing ships).