During the second Punic War, Rome had appreciated the value of retaining permanent squadrons with the same commanders. Thus one squadron was based on Tarraco, another--that of Sicily--on Lilybæum. The Adriatic squadron was based on Brundisium. These three squadrons provided a fleet of about two hundred ships. But when war was threatening, new quinquiremes were built and the old ones were refitted. But this excellent system of having a standing navy was subsequently abolished and Rome’s general sea-command disappeared. During the first Punic War the fleet was commanded by one or both consuls in person. Then the separate squadrons were commanded by prætors or proprætors, though later on by proconsuls or consuls who sometimes deputed the command to a præfectus. The crews consisted of three sections--the oarsmen, the sailors, and the marines, designated respectively _remiges_, _nautæ_, and _milites classici_. It is important to bear in mind that no Roman ever handled an oar, but that the rowers and sailors were supplied from the allies and maritime colonies. This is evidence of the fact that, unlike the Phœnicians or the Vikings, the Romans were not instinctively seamen, but only took to the ocean because it was essential for their safety on shore. The expression _socii navales_ became the stereotyped phrase for the crew of oarsmen and sailors. Later on--in the third century B.C.--libertini were to a great extent employed in the crews. Slaves were used during the Hannibalian War as oarsmen, and sometimes the ships were manned by prisoners. When it was necessary, the crews were sometimes armed and used as soldiers. But the Roman naval service was never popular, and consequently there were many desertions. The captain of each galley was designated _magister navis_. He and the steersman (_gubernator_) were _ingenui_, the steersman ranking with a centurion. The marines were drawn usually from the Roman proletariat, and there was an arrangement of some sort for the distribution of prize-money. Additional to the triremes, quadriremes, and quinquiremes, there were also scouts--_lembi_, which were but light craft--and _pentekontors_. [Illustration: SKETCHES OF ANCIENT SHIPS. By RICHARD COOK, R.A., from Montfarreon’s “Antiquities,” showing warships with marines and fighting-platform amidships; the lower sketches show clearly the types of bow and stern.]