The Hellenistic period, from Alexander the Great to the Battle of Actium, was a time of great technological change and innovation in naval design. There was a naval arms race between the Successor States that culminated in a plethora of ship types and the largest oared vessels ever built. 

Michael Pitassi gathers all the available evidence and comparative data to reconstruct the various classes of warship. Each is illustrated with clear diagrams and scale models, with particular attention paid to the arrangement of oars and rowers, the subject of much ongoing debate. He narrates the key naval battles of the period, huge affairs involving hundreds of ships, describing the forces engaged and the tactics employed. Strategic factors such as the location of port facilities, the  supply of timber and maritime trade are also considered.

• Cover
• Title
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Contents
• Maps
• Illustrations
• Introduction
• Chronology
• Part I: Before Alexander – Setting the Scene
  • Chapter 1 Philip II and the Rise of Macedon
  • Chapter 2 The Ships of Philip’s Era: Bireme; Trireme; Four; Five; Six; Hemiolia
  • Chapter 3 Rams, Towers, Artillery and Tactics
• Part II: Alexander 336 to 30 BC
  • Chapter 4 The Age of Alexander
    • Appendix: The Siege of Tyre 332
  • Chapter 5 The Ships of Alexander’s Period: Triaconter; Seven
• Part III: The Struggle to Succeed 323 to 301 BC
  • Chapter 6 The Empire Divided
    • Appendix: The Battle of Cyprian Salamis 306
  • Chapter 7 Rowing Systems
  • Chapter 8 Bigger Ships: Nine; Ten; Trihemiolia
• Part IV: The Age of the Supergalley 310 to 200 BC
  • Chapter 9 Naval Arms Race
    • Appendix: Battle of Chios 201
  • Chapter 10 A New Rowing System
  • Chapter 11 The Ultimate Galleys: Lembi; Eleven; Thirteen; Fifteen; Sixteen; Leontophoros; Isthmia; Twenty; Thirty; Twelve; Forty; the missing number, Fourteen
• Part V: The Power from the West 200 to 100 BC
  • Chapter 12 The Shifting Balance of Power
    • Appendix: The Battle of Myonnesus – October 190
  • Chapter 13 The Ships: Eight. Roman Types: Pristis; Quinquereme; Trireme; Liburnae
• Part VI: Twilight of the Hellenistic Navies 100 to 30 BC
  • Chapter 14 Becoming a Roman Lake
  • Chapter 15 The Last Hellenistic Fleets
    • Appendix: The Battle of Actium – 2 September 31
  • Chapter 16 The Great Ships and Hellenistic Naval Warfare
• Appendices
  • Appendix I: List of Naval Battles
  • Appendix II: Order in Which the Ship Types Appeared
  • Appendix III: Suggested Total Rowers Per Rate
  • Appendix IV: Index of Characters
  • Appendix V: Dynasties
• Gazeteer
• Notes
• Bibliography