THE AGE OF THE DROMON — THE BYZANTINE NAVY CA 500—1204

We have shared a happy collaboration in this book. Our friendship even survived the translation of the texts for Appendices One to Five, where we were concerned to achieve a delicate balance between producing a readable English translation for Byzantinists and the general public and preserving the literal meaning of technical language as closely as possible for maritime and military historians.

John Pryor has been responsible for the historical research and for the writing of the text. Elizabeth Jeffreys has been responsible for the editing of the texts in Appendices One to Five, for the translation of Greek texts, for matters philological, and for the interpretation of the milieux of the Byzantine sources. We are indebted to Ahmad Shboul for his collaboration in Appendix Eight... The authors of the volume have conducted a very thorough examination if both development and further evolution of the Dromon war galley together with the Chelandion, its relative, from their original appearance until supersession by Galea.

Among the salient technical features of these vessels were the spurs at the bows lateen sails, special two-banked system of the oarage, and the "Greek Fire" - their primary weapon. The volume is contextualizing the technical characteristics of those vessels within the history of Byzantine fleets, covering the associated logistical problems and strategic objectives.