A galley is a ship that is propelled by human oarsmen, used for trade and warfare. Galleys dominated naval warfare in the Mediterranean Sea from the 8th century BC to the development of effective naval gunnery in the 16th century. Galleys fought in the wars of Assyria, ancient Phoenicia, Greece, Carthage and Rome until the 4th century. After the fall of the Roman Empire galleys formed the mainstay of the Byzantine navy and other navies of successors of the Roman Empire, as well as new Muslim navies.