Ancient SeamanSeaman is an art. It is not something that can be picked up and studied on one’s spare time; indeed, it allows one no spare time for anything else – said Athenian Pericles.
Although the great Greek statesman made this observation more than 4 centuries before Christ it has held true throughout history.
Any ship is carefully designed and crafted floating machine which operates at the mercy of winds and seas. Its best survival and effectiveness depend largely upon the skills and experience of its officers and crew in ship handling.
When a vessel is also a weapons platform – a ship of war - it requires even more technical sophistication of its personal.
Seafarers are therefore consummate professional; amateurs have no place at sea. Their physical world is circumscribed by the confines of their ship, their universe by the endless waters and skies round about them.
As practical individuals, sailors throughout history have not generally had the time or the inclination to deal with the theoretical aspects of their work. They are ship drivers not philosophers.
By the same token, students and devotees of navies – and aspiring career officers - are usually attracted to naval history by its “business end” of the the adventure and fascination of naval wars battles and leaders.
Ancient Seaman