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Galley Slaves Gallery

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willowfall said:
I'm not sure if the modern competitive rowing boats are a good comparison because don't the seats on those slide back and forth? Galleys certainly didn't and I've never rowed an ordinary boat that did.
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Yes, the slide (as shown in the pic I attached) is the main difference, enabling the maximum thrust from the rowers strongest muscles, her legs, On a static bench you make more use of your arms and trunk, but it's still important to use your legs to get maximal power. If the stretcher is positioned so your knees are flexed, with each stroke you'd swing your trunk back and probably lift your butt as you press with your legs and pull with your arms.

And the slave rowers were somehow (probably by ankle chains) secured to their stations. Freedom of movement is not something the captain of the vessel wants since his free crew might be outnumber by 10 or so to 1 by the rowers.
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I said our wrists should not be chained to the oars, as Loxuru said, freedom of (hand an arm) movement is needed. Of course our feet and ankles would be restrained.

willowfall said:
With the galley beached overnight (as they invariably were) the crews slept on the beach not on board.
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I find that hard to believe. Beaching a substantial vessel requires clever seamanship to avoid damage, and a lot of hauling. If we galley-slaves can't be trusted, we couldn't be let loose to help with the hauling, so we'd have to stay aboard, adding to the weight. On the Atlantic coast, at least vessels can come in on the tide and be grounded and made secure when it ebbs, in the Med there isn't even that help. I think much more likely that, for short stays, vessels were anchored offshore in sheltered bays, and the crew and slaves slept at their stations, no doubt sufficiently exhausted to sleep wherever they got a bit of space to flop down on.
 
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You know... we've spent a good amount of time on this thread discussing the rowing process itself, but I think we overlooked other aspects of the lives of the galley slave girls: eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.

Considering that they live on a galley, it's likely that they would have a diet based on fish. Also, I doubt that the overseers would bother to catch the food for the slave girls or even cook it, so I guess that some days, a few girls have to be unchained from their oars and go fishing and cooking. As a quick note, the lobsters, although a delight these days, they were actually served to the slaves in the Colonial Era. Then again, if the galley's route is across a river, that changes the situation... giving the slave girls access to other kinds of food.

If the slave girls are chained only by their legs, they can sleep under the benches. If they have any rags or loincloth covering their bodies, they can remove them at night and improvise some pillows. Alternatively, the overseers could give them some bags or sacks to use as pillows.

When it comes about toilets, perhaps they are allowed only once a day, after lunch, to go to a wooden toilet at the back of the ship, all the wastes falling into the water. If not, I guess they could at least receive a bucket.

Although the overseers shouldn't care about the hygiene of the girls, the smell can become unbearable even for them. Also, infections ar something you don't want to deal with. Once every few days, maybe the overseers can come in the rowing room with buckets filled with sea water and splash it over the slave girls. Alternatively, they could take the slave girls to a "bathroom", where an improvised bath tub is filled with sea water, fitting as many of them as possible in the bath, giving them only two or three minutes to wash themselves.
 
Jones_Tims said:
You know... we've spent a good amount of time on this thread discussing the rowing process itself, but I think we overlooked other aspects of the lives of the galley slave girls: eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.

Considering that they live on a galley, it's likely that they would have a diet based on fish. Also, I doubt that the overseers would bother to catch the food for the slave girls or even cook it, so I guess that some days, a few girls have to be unchained from their oars and go fishing and cooking. As a quick note, the lobsters, although a delight these days, they were actually served to the slaves in the Colonial Era. Then again, if the galley's route is across a river, that changes the situation... giving the slave girls access to other kinds of food.

If the slave girls are chained only by their legs, they can sleep under the benches. If they have any rags or loincloth covering their bodies, they can remove them at night and improvise some pillows. Alternatively, the overseers could give them some bags or sacks to use as pillows.

When it comes about toilets, perhaps they are allowed only once a day, after lunch, to go to a wooden toilet at the back of the ship, all the wastes falling into the water. If not, I guess they could at least receive a bucket.

Although the overseers shouldn't care about the hygiene of the girls, the smell can become unbearable even for them. Also, infections ar something you don't want to deal with. Once every few days, maybe the overseers can come in the rowing room with buckets filled with sea water and splash it over the slave girls. Alternatively, they could take the slave girls to a "bathroom", where an improvised bath tub is filled with sea water, fitting as many of them as possible in the bath, giving them only two or three minutes to wash themselves.
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Good points. I've a nasty feeling that - like on the Atlantic slave-ships - there were no more 'toilet facilities' than on a cattle-boat, the slaves, their benches and the boards beneath splashed over with sea-water (which happened often enough in rough weather anyway), and the foul mess just swilled away through the scuppers with buckets of sea-water, probably at dawn and dusk.

Not sure about diet - I'd be a bit doubtful about fishing from the galleys. As Willowfall has said, even long voyages were generally done in one-day steps, so supplies of food and water could be taken on board pretty frequently. Which for slaves would have been pretty basic.
 
Eulalia said:
Good points. I've a nasty feeling that - like on the Atlantic slave-ships - there were no more 'toilet facilities' than on a cattle-boat, the slaves, their benches and the boards beneath splashed over with sea-water (which happened often enough in rough weather anyway), and the foul mess just swilled away through the scuppers with buckets of sea-water, probably at dawn and dusk.

Not sure about diet - I'd be a bit doubtful about fishing from the galleys. As Willowfall has said, even long voyages were generally done in one-day steps, so supplies of food and water could be taken on board pretty frequently. Which for slaves would have been pretty basic.
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Talking about water...

Whipping and torture are one thing... but you know what would be the worst punishment for a disobedient slave girl? Being forced to drink only sea water and eat raw squids or fish.
 
Eulalia said:
Good points. I've a nasty feeling that - like on the Atlantic slave-ships - there were no more 'toilet facilities' than on a cattle-boat, the slaves, their benches and the boards beneath splashed over with sea-water (which happened often enough in rough weather anyway), and the foul mess just swilled away through the scuppers with buckets of sea-water, probably at dawn and dusk.

Not sure about diet - I'd be a bit doubtful about fishing from the galleys. As Willowfall has said, even long voyages were generally done in one-day steps, so supplies of food and water could be taken on board pretty frequently. Which for slaves would have been pretty basic.
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I think it is dafe to say that conditions were spartan and basic, dirty and foul smelling
 
Eulalia said:
I said our wrists should not be chained to the oars, as Loxuru said, freedom of (hand an arm) movement is needed. Of course our feet and ankles would be restrained.
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Yes - of course you would stay at your post even if they weren't. but not all slaves are so trustworthy.

Jones_Tims said:
You know... we've spent a good amount of time on this thread discussing the rowing process itself, but I think we overlooked other aspects of the lives of the galley slave girls: eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.
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I like your kind of thinking!

Jones_Tims said:
You know... we've spent a good amount of time on this thread discussing the rowing process itself, but I think we overlooked other aspects of the lives of the galley slave girls: eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.

Considering that they live on a galley, it's likely that they would have a diet based on fish. Also, I doubt that the overseers would bother to catch the food for the slave girls or even cook it, so I guess that some days, a few girls have to be unchained from their oars and go fishing and cooking. As a quick note, the lobsters, although a delight these days, they were actually served to the slaves in the Colonial Era. Then again, if the galley's route is across a river, that changes the situation... giving the slave girls access to other kinds of food.
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Perhaps fishing is done when rowing is not needed? Although how often that would be might depend on the vessel's route. There might be emergency stores of (rather unappetising) dried food for when they can't afford to waste time like that.

Jones_Tims said:
You know... we've spent a good amount of time on this thread discussing the rowing process itself, but I think we overlooked other aspects of the lives of the galley slave girls: eating, sleeping, hygiene, etc.

Considering that they live on a galley, it's likely that they would have a diet based on fish. Also, I doubt that the overseers would bother to catch the food for the slave girls or even cook it, so I guess that some days, a few girls have to be unchained from their oars and go fishing and cooking. As a quick note, the lobsters, although a delight these days, they were actually served to the slaves in the Colonial Era. Then again, if the galley's route is across a river, that changes the situation... giving the slave girls access to other kinds of food.

If the slave girls are chained only by their legs, they can sleep under the benches. If they have any rags or loincloth covering their bodies, they can remove them at night and improvise some pillows. Alternatively, the overseers could give them some bags or sacks to use as pillows.
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Bags and sacks are either valuable cargo or extra weight - I think the slaves will have to manage without. Given how exhausting their work is, the trick will be not having them fall asleep at their oars... but I suppose that's what the whip is for.

Jones_Tims said:
When it comes about toilets, perhaps they are allowed only once a day, after lunch, to go to a wooden toilet at the back of the ship, all the wastes falling into the water. If not, I guess they could at least receive a bucket.

Although the overseers shouldn't care about the hygiene of the girls, the smell can become unbearable even for them. Also, infections ar something you don't want to deal with. Once every few days, maybe the overseers can come in the rowing room with buckets filled with sea water and splash it over the slave girls. Alternatively, they could take the slave girls to a "bathroom", where an improvised bath tub is filled with sea water, fitting as many of them as possible in the bath, giving them only two or three minutes to wash themselves.
Click to expand...

Eulalia said:
Good points. I've a nasty feeling that - like on the Atlantic slave-ships - there were no more 'toilet facilities' than on a cattle-boat, the slaves, their benches and the boards beneath splashed over with sea-water (which happened often enough in rough weather anyway), and the foul mess just swilled away through the scuppers with buckets of sea-water, probably at dawn and dusk.
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I think Eulalia may be closer to the right of it - certainly I doubt they would bother unchaining them to use the head. A bucket is a bit more likely, although only when at rest. And semi-regular washing/cleaning with seawater... the salt in which returns all the lashes the slaves have received twofold.
 
KageKamen said:
Perhaps not so delightful if you had to work there - as slave or otherwise!
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As a responsible* Slave Owner...I take great care to provide the most basic accommodation for those miserable specimens.
I care little for their creature comforts.
They are there to provide hard labour,and maybe use of their stinking bodies,for pleasure...nothing more.
I paid good Sesterces,for those pathetic wretches, and expect a decent return for my investment...
*( Yeah...right (!!) )
 
Baracus said:
As a responsible* Slave Owner...I take great care to provide the most basic accommodation for those miserable specimens.
I care little for their creature comforts.
They are there to provide hard labour,and maybe use of their stinking bodies,for pleasure...nothing more.
I paid good Sesterces,for those pathetic wretches, and expect a decent return for my investment...
*( Yeah...right (!!) )
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Of course, providing more than the basics is bad business.

However, if you are going to leave them to sweat, piss and shit where they sit all day, I would strongly suggest you seek out a local brothel rather than attempting to be physically intimate with one.
 
KageKamen said:
Well if your standards are that low... don't say I didn't warn you!
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Fear not,good man,whilst at moorings,I shall seek out the nearest Aquatherma,then use the best Brothels in the Port.
Afterwards I shall enjoy the spectacle of another Crucifixion.
Those slaves that failed me shall hang,nailed and screaming from their Crosses, made of premium Gaul wood....
Followed by another visit to the local Slave Market,where I shall barter for the lives of more despicable curs,fit only to serve at the Oars,and to give sexual succour to my loyal overseers.
 
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Baracus said:
Fear not,good man,whilst at moorings,I shall seek out the nearest Aquatherma,then use the best Brothels in the Port.
Afterwards I shall enjoy the spectacle of Crucifixion. Those slaves that failed me shall hang,nailed and screaming from their Crosses, made of premium Gaul wood.
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Will the best brothels in the port even take you if you've been sticking it in galley girls? Probably better to seek a physician to treat that nasty rash you've picked up...
 
Barbaria1 said:
I read somewhere that the Romans staged mock naval battles for entertainment, pitting fleets of galleys against one another in no quarter given battles, and am imagining myself among the all female rowers, stripped naked, shackled to my post, straining at my oar under the lash ... as the gladiators on the deck above prepared to close with a rival galley ... arrows and missiles landing ... blood running on the planks beneath my feet ... girls screaming with pain and shouting all about me ... yet another lash applied wickedly to my bloody back ...
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Hmmm....I don't suppose these female galley slaves ever were given an opportunity to shave their mounds or underarms... just a thought. :eek: :rolleyes:
 
On the same note, people... what is your favorite era for a galley slavery fantasy? Of course, they cannot be fully historically accurate, since the idea of galley slavery and especially female galley slavery is rather a fantasy, but I will lay down a few examples:

1. Antiquity. The good old Roman Empire, which became almost the archetype of all forms of slavery. Slave girls rowing across the Mediteranean Sea, or perhaps, even working on war galley during the Punic Wars, ending up with fresh galley slave girls from Carthage.

2. Dark Ages. The Roman Empire fell, and the barbarians took over the ruins of this once great civilization. Many once noble women are now the slaves of the Goths, who will use them as galley slaves, helping them transport the luxuries stolen from the Italian Peninsula up to northern Europe.

3. Medieval Era. The creativity can really flow here. Going from up north, with the Viking Longboats, manned by slave girls, all the way down to the Ottoman Empire, using their galleys to dominate the Mediteranean, manning their ships with Greek, Bulgarian, Wallachian, Arabic and Spanish slave girls.

4. Colonial Era. Colonial empires using slave girls for their galleys. Pirates using captured women. Huge naval battles, where the overseers are manning the cannons while the slave girls put their back into it, trying to get their galley out of the range of the enemy cannons.

5. The Current Times or even The Future. After some supposed series of disasters (perhaps a nuclear war), large sections of the world are thrown back into the Middle Ages. In order to save up on the expensive and rare oil, the modern ships are often replaced by galleys manned by slave girls that were once just usual women, going to college, posting on Cruxforums in the evening and all that.
 
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