Classis Germanica

The Classis Germanica was the Roman Navy in Germany (classis means fleet in Latin).
It was formed in 13 BCE to prevent incursions from German tribes by patrolling the Rhine with small galleys operating from a line of fixed bases.

Roman Navy operated two separate fleets on the Rhine, one based above Bingen at Mainz, in Germania Superior and the other below Bingen, first at Xanten, then at Cologne in Germania Inferior.
The Navy also operated the Tolls and Navigation along the Rhine for Commerce.
The Classis Germanica disappears briefly from the record after 270 CE, being absorbed into the Rhine Legions, but reappears in 298 CE.
It survived the fourth century until 407 CE, when the Frontier finally collapsed.
The River Danube also had its own Roman Navy Fleets, the Classis Pannonica and the Classis Moesica.

The standard vessel of the Fleet was the Liburnian galley.
These had 36 oars in a double bank, with marines and archers and were decked.
In 270 CE the classis Germanica seems to have disappeared under the breakaway Gallic Empire (260-274 CE). Lusoriae are mentioned as being burnt in 280 CE.
In 298 CE Constantius I Chlorus replaced the Liburnian in the classis Germanica with the Lusoria, galleys with 30 oars and a sail.
In 363 CE, 40 Lusoriae was the size of the fleet based at Mainz, Germania Superior under the Emperor Julian (361-363 CE), according to Ammianus Marcellinus (Roman Antiquities, Book XVIII, chap 2, line 12).

The Prefect of the Fleet was a Procuratores centenarii and received 100,000 sesterces per annum.
The Praepositus classis was his subordinate, and there were two, each with their own staff.
The Navarch was the captain thevessel, later they were renamed tribunus classis.
The Trierachus were the subordinate officers.
The Remages were the rowers.
The Milites liburnarii were the Marines.
- The navy had to serve 26 years and then would receive a lump sum, a discharge inscription, and Roman citizenship.

The Rhine was un-navigable between Bingen and Lorch as it was blocked by Rocks.
Consequently the Roman Navy operated two separate fleets on the Rhine, one based above Bingen at Mainz, and the other below Bingen, first at Xanten, then at Cologne.

Bingen