Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Ba kamar sanannen ra'ayi game da bayi na jirgin ruwa ba, tsoffin jiragen ruwa sun fi son dogaro da 'yanci don yin jirgin ruwa. A cikin ƙarni na 4 da na 5 Athens gabaɗaya sun bi tsarin sojan ruwa na yin rajistar 'yan ƙasa daga ƙananan azuzuwan (thetes), metics da baƙi masu haya. Duk da haka, a karkashin wasu yanayi, misali a lokacin da Mytilenean tawaye
, manyan azuzuwan sun shiga matsayin masu jirgin ruwa. Wannan ya sanya su mahimmanci a cikin Sojan Ruwa na Athenian kuma saboda haka ya ba su rawar a cikin harkokin Athens (duba Tsarin Mulki na Athenians).