The Public Boats of Olbia: Warships or State Merchantmen?

Abstract

The “public boats”, mentioned in the inscription IosPE I2, 32, found in Olbia, have been identified variously as warships or as state merchantmen. This statement is all the more important since it would imply that cities may have owned merchantmen. Nevertheless, it seemed to many scholars that ancient cities were unable to maintain commercial ships. Therefore, it was suggested at first that these πλοῖα δημόζια could have been triereis, as the word πλοῖον, although used most often for merchantmen, is occasionally applied to fighting ships. However, Xenophon‟s recommendation to create a fleet of public merchantmen reveals that the existence of such boats was not an extravagant idea. Moreover, a close reading of the inscription IosPE I2, 32 shows that these πλοῖα δημόζια were probably used to carry stones for the repair of the rampart. Yet triereis were not suitable to convey ashlars, as their hull was too narrow. Last but not least, the existence of πλοῖα δημόζια is very well evidenced in 4th-century-CE Egypt. Thus, it was quite feasible for ancient cities to maintain public boats.