Reprojected image from the Bireme Krater (bowl) in the British Museum. This scene has been variously interpreted as showing Theseus and Ariadne fleeing Crete, or Paris abducting Helen and precipitating the Trojan war. In ancient Greece kraters of undiluted wine would typically occupy the centre a room at a symposium. This one is in the Athenian Geometric style and is dates to 735 - 720 BC. The image shows a man leading a woman aboard a Theban bireme, a two-deck, oared warship, or galley. Biremes were long vessels built for military purposes, had relatively high speed and great strength. Depending upon the number of rows of oars, the boats were called uniremes, biremes, triremes, quadriremes, etc. They were usually fitted with a bronze ram at the bow, designed to punch a hole into an enemy vessel, not to sink but to disable it