The hospital ship serves as a floating medical treatment facility and has done so since antiquity. The Greeks and Romans deployed hospital ships in their wars, but it wasn't until the 17th century that naval squadrons were accompanied by
ships with facilities for carrying the wounded after each military engagement.
Today, hospital ships number among some of the largest and most sophisticated vessels on the high seas. They serve in times of conflict, but are also actively engaged in peacetime duties, in particular as part of humanitarian relief efforts. So, how did these unique maritime vessels evolve, and what are some of history's most famous hospital ships?
Click through the following gallery and set sail on a voyage of discovery.