Do you have examples of this confusion?

Good questions.  I'm pretty sure it was one man per oar and I think the ships got larger as time went on (bigger ships in the Peloponessian War than the Persian Wars.) Not sure if 170 rowers was for the larger ships while the ones with less rowers were more for troop/calvary transport.  I know there wasn't much room, but some of the ships did have a small contingency of hoplites aside from the rowers. I think there were 40 hoplites per ship in the Battle of Salamis.  I would love to see a replica of one of these things in action.Here's a pretty good link with some general info and pics.

I think somebody did recreate a trireme several years ago.  If I remember right it was something like what Heyerdahl did with the viking ship and reed boat.  I would have to look again but I will see if I can find the link, I seem to remember an extensive piece and even a documentary about it on the History Channel.  But, as always I could be dead wrong and remembering something that did not happen.