Chelandion

Chelandion () was a Byzantine galley warship, a variant of the "dromōn" that also functioned as a cargo transport.
History.
The term "chelandion" is derived from the Greek word "kelēs", "courser", and first appeared during the early 8th century. In the medieval Latin used in Western Europe, it was rendered "chelandium" or "scelandrium" (and thence the 12th-century "sandanum" transport), while the Arabs rendered the name as "shalandī" (plural "shalandiyyāt") and used it for a probably similar type of vessels in their own navies.
In common with the general characteristics of the "dromōn" type, the "chelandion" was a bireme galley, i.e. with two rows of oars, which provided its main means of propulsion, although it also featured one or two lateen sails, and was steered by two quarter rudders at the stern. It could also be equipped with siphons for projecting the feared Greek fire, the Byzantine navy's secret incendiary weapon.
The term "chelandion" is usually used interchangeably with "dromōn" in medieval literary sources, leading to much confusion as to the exact nature of the ship and its differences with the "dromōn" proper. It appears, however, that the type originated as a horse-transport ("hippagōgon"). This in turn implies some differences in construction from the standard "dromōn": at the very least, the presence of a special compartment running the length of the vessel amidships to accommodate a row of horses would increase its beam and hold depth.
In the 10th century, "chelandia" formed the bulk of the Byzantine navy, serving in two types: the "chelandion ousiakon" () or simply "ousiakon" or "ousiakos", so named because it was manned by an "ousia" of 108 men, and the "chelandion pamphylon" (Greek: χελάνδιον πάμφυλον), or simply "pamphylon" or "pamphylos", crewed with up to 120–160 men, its name either implying an origin in the region of Pamphylia as a transport ship or its crewing with "picked crews" (from , "all tribes").