Later writers commented on the pitiful state of the Athenian navy in the first century B.C.: "from such a glorious maritime heritage, the Athenians could scarcely put together two warships" ( Livy, Fr. 32a ). However this inscription shows that the navy was under the command of a general - apparently the first time that the Athenians had given this responsibility to an individual general.
The men who sail on the sacred ships honour the general in charge of the navy and the trierarchs with a golden crown.
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