The fleets and naval forces employed by the Roman Empire have traditionally been conceived as a
'Roman navy' that guarded the waterways of the Mediterranean and the northern frontier. No
longer facing major competition at sea this navy is supposed to have gradually decayed over
the 1st and 2nd centuries until being swept away during the barbarian invasions of the 3rd.
Directly challenging the concept of a 'Roman navy' and associated narratives of institutional
decline this book reassesses the role and development of fleets and naval forces of the late
Roman Mediterranean (3rd-6th centuries). This is accomplished through a systematic
investigation into the fate of the early imperial classes as well as the creation and
development of new classes in the later Empire. Beyond these obvious naval forces this
book also examines the employment of ships by other 'non-naval' military units and the creation
of ad hoc fleets for major campaigns. Finally it analyses the evolution in design and
employment of military galleys over the same period providing a more comprehensive and
balanced understanding of the role and transformation of the fleets and ships used by the late
Roman military.
