The next hall houses the marine part of the million year course of Greeks extending in the Byzantine period.
The privileged geographical position of the Byzantine State –at the crossroads connecting the East with the West –quickly turned it into a hub of international sea trade, which became a primary source of income for the mighty and extended empire. For a long period of time the Byzantines kept control of the Mediterranean by organising a powerful and efficient navy force which allowed them to play a leading role in maritime commercial transactions.
The large model of the Byzantine dromon which is located in this hall, presents the most important war ship of the Byzantine period. It has been built based on information coming from literary sources of the 10th century AC, when the Byzantine fleet was at its peak. Those sources mention heavily armed ships of a great capacity, with two banks of oars and a crew reaching even 300 men.
The main weapon onboard the dromon was the liquid fire which was spurted through the siphons, the copper tubes at the bow. The liquid fire, which was a mixture consisting most likely of sulfur, niter, petroleum ether and other inflammable substances, made a decisive contribution to the outcome of the empire’s naval operations. Its invention has been attributed to Kallinikos, a Greek engineer from Helioupolis of Syria (7th century AC), while its composition was a state secret.
With regard to the merchant ships of the Byzantine years, information is scarce and not particularly specific. Nonetheless, the discovery of a shipwreck of a small, 7th century merchant ship, has proved extremely important. The shipwreck was found in the sea bed near the islet of Yasi Ada, opposite the island of Kos. It provided important information about merchant ships and the development of shipbuilding during the Byzantine era. The model of the so called ship of “Yasi Ada”, whose construction was based on the archaeological findings, can be seen in the Museum’s exhibition area.
Next to those two models, representing all that is known about Byzantine vessels, lies one of the most important archaeological findings of the Museum collection. It is a pithos, a large earthenware storage jar of the late Byzantine period which was found in Evia and bears engraved representations of a merchant and a war ship. The representation of the merchant ship is particularly interesting, as its shape is similar to the types of vessels built by traditional shipwrights even in the 20th century.

As early as in the 11th century there are signs of the decline of the Byzantine Empire and its marine power. Dimly at first and then more intensely or even completely Venice makes a breakthrough into sea trade. The two galley models in the Museum present the vessel type with which that small Italian Republic established its sea predominance in Eastern Mediterranean from the 12th up to the 17th century AC. The galley is the last type of oar-powered war ships and its “descendant” in the Greek shipbuilding tradition is the Galiota of Psara, a model of which can be seen in this hall. The galiotas were also used during the War of Independence in 1821.

Model of a Byzantine dromon
(10th century A.D.).
Made by G. Rallis.
Research by C. Alexandris.
Collection No: 144

Detail from incised representation of a dromon on a large earthenware jar
of the Byzantine period.
From Euboea.
Collection No: 147