Galera

/ɡæˈlɛrə/ noun

Definition

A type of Mediterranean galley or trading ship used during the medieval and Renaissance periods, or a historical prison.

Etymology

From Old French 'galère', derived from Medieval Greek 'galea', ultimately from an uncertain origin possibly connected to Phoenician maritime terminology.

Kelly Says

Convicts sentenced to 'galeras' had one of history's most brutal jobs—rowing in the holds of warships for years, and a famous don of the 16th century (Cervantes) was enslaved this way.

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