> Chaosium-era Gloranthan supplements mention a ship type called a
> "penteconter," a term I have been completely unable to find a
> definition for in any real world source.
Then Google it: www.google.com
Also try common variants "pentekonter", "pentecontor", etc.
> It's hard for me to imagine that it means there are 5 banks of oars.
Yep. A quinquereme had five *something* of oars, most likely five oarsmen per position split between three banks of oars, though scholars dispute this IIRC. I don't think the 'remes ever went above three banks of oars -- they just added more manpower to each of the one, two or three banks. (Wouldn't you just *hate* to be the odd man out on a quinquereme? :-)
But do look at the hexeres (six'ers), hepteres (seven'ers), deceres (ten'ers), etc. built by Alexander the Great's successors, inc. some catamaran-hulled outriggered monstrosities which the Lunar Empire is doubtless designing *even now*, in its secret island naval bases on the Mirrorsea...
Cheers, Nick
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