We all know about the great shipping technology of the Greeks during Antiquity and the Persian row-ships of Salamis. We all know about the dhows of the Islamic caliphate and how they dominated the Indian ocean. We all know about the Viking Ships that transported Ericsson to the Americas. But what did Roman naval/Merchant ships look like? What where they made of and how large was it? They questions dazzle me and I hope someone can answer it!
How did Roman Navy/Civil Ships look like?
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Joined Sep 2011
24,135 Posts | 8+
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Thanks. Any picture/Animations on how Romans ships look like?
Joined Oct 2012
5,637 Posts | 418+
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An image of cast taken from Trajan's column, depicting a Roman ship armed with ballistae.
A depiction on Trajan's column of a liburna, a type of small galley used for raiding and patrols.
A model recreation of a Roman bireme
A modern recreation of a trireme. Greek in this case, but Roman triremes wouldn't have been much different.
A Quadrireme with Corvus
Roman Quinquireme and Corvus
On Roman and Carthaginian Quinquiremes
A Roman Deceres.
A reconstruction of a Navis Losoria from the Late Empire. They were small military transport vessels that navigated rivers like the Rhine and Danube.
A Roman merchant ship from the 3rd Century AD. Illustration by John Pittaway from Picture Reference Ancient Romans, Brockhampton Press 1970
Illustration of a merchant vessel excavated from the banks of the Thames in the 1960s. The ship dated to the 2nd Century AD.
A Roman merchant ship from the 3rd Century AD
A merchant ship of the Mediterranean (3rd - 1st Century BC)
A quarter scale replica of a Roman Corbita
I must say, I'm impressed by the high level of wood block engineering these Roman ships had. But I though they were alot larger. Why didn't the Romans create Larger Gallery ships of the 15th century? Did they have the technology to do so?
Joined Jan 2013
425 Posts | 1+
Braavos
The Romans were one of the best, were they not? How they did end up becoming a superpower in the sea without being modestly decent compared to their opponents?
Joined Jan 2013
425 Posts | 1+
Braavos
There was Carthage, who were seafaring people. They got beat after the first Punic war and never challenged Rome again.
If I remember my ancient history correctly they found a Carthaginian shipwreck and used it as the model on which to build their navy, since they were far worse sailors than the Carthaginians they used the Corvus to attach themselves to an enemy ship and use their advantage in infantry to capture the ship, thus they were able to eventually control the seas without being particularly good seafarers.
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