In battle a national flag was used so as to facilitate recognition of one’s own vessels from those of the enemy. And, as illustrative of the development of the early naval tactics, it is well to notice that there existed a signalling code--the displaying of a purple flag, for instance, being the signal for going into action. Mr. Torr mentions the interesting fact that attempts were made at semaphoring with a single flag, and further at signalling by flashing the sunlight from a shield. In addition to the above, signals were made for getting under way, for altering the formation of the fleet, for bringing-to, as well as for disembarking troops. Their seamanship was necessarily simple, because their ships had no complicated gear and were primarily rowing craft. We know that they used the sounding lead armed with grease, and the numerous landmarks of the Ægean Sea and the neighbouring waters would be more than well known to those in command of the ships sailing. When one thinks of the bare simplicity of the Mediterranean galley, the fighting ship of Tudor times with all its sails and rigging and running gear points to a far more elaborate species of seamanship with a corresponding increase of anxiety. As to the division in supervising the ship’s work, the officers consisted as follows: The captain of the trireme--called _trierarchos_--was in supreme command of his ship. Under him came the _kubernetes_ or helmsman. Then forward stood the officer in command of the bow--the _proreus_ or look-out man. Under these three officers the ship was manœuvred in such a manner that either the enemy’s hull might be pierced or, at any rate, his protruding lines of oars smashed into splinters, thus rendering him an easy prey. For the most part the representations of ancient classical ships have been so carefully made that they have every appearance of accuracy, taking into consideration the possibilities of wind, sails, and sea, but occasionally mistakes are made which show that the artist certainly was not a seaman. In the accompanying illustration[9] we have an instructive picture of a penteconter. She sets two sails with a bowline shown on the mizzen, but interesting as the picture is in many ways, yet the sails are clearly not set in accordance with the wind. The steering oar at the side and the flag on the staff at the bows will be immediately noticed. [Illustration: GREEK PENTECONTER FROM AN ANCIENT VASE. That the artist was not a seaman is obvious from the ludicrous way in which the sails are depicted.]