Expert: Maria - 3/10/2009

Question
Hi Maria

I'm trying to find the correct latin name for the so called 'slave driver' on a Roman galley. Often portrayed as a drum beater at the head of a row of oarsmen.

I am of course aware that the oarsmen on Roman galleys were rarely slaves, expect in times of great need.

many thanks for your help Maria.

Paul

Answer
Hello,

Actually there are two correct Latin terms to indicate the Roman officer who  in a ship led at the song and beat the time for the oarsmen who in Latin were called “rémiges” or “rémex”/”rémigium” as a collective noun.

This officer was called PAUSARIUS (literally, “he who gives the time to the rowers”, “the time-keeper”) as well as  HORTATOR (literally, “he who encourages the oarsmen at their work”).

This PAUSARIUS, also called HORTATOR, sat on the stern of the vessel, with a kind of truncheon in his hand, which he used to beat the time, while  gave out the chant which was sung or played to make the rowers keep the stroke, as represented in the illustration you can see at :
http://perseus.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/cgi-bin/image?lookup=1999.04.0062.fig00850

As for the  oarsmen on Roman ships, we know that every ship was crowded by:

1-oarsmen –(Latin “remiges”/“rémex”/”rémigium”)  who were slaves;

2-sailors (Latin, “nautae”) who were recruited between the “proletarii” (i.e. those citizens who were placed in the lowest of the five property classes), the "liberti" (i.e. the slaves who had been emancipated )or the “socii navales” (i.e. maritime allies).

3-marine infantrymen (Latin, “classiarii”)  who fought on the ship decks and who could be foreigner and ‘liberti’, and even slaves in some occasions.

Hope this can be helpful to you.
Best regards,
Maria
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Note that the plural of the nominative case "pausarius" (2nd.declension) is "pausarii" (the time-keepers), while the plural of the nominative case "hortator" (3rd.declension) is "hortatores" (the encouragers).