| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Discovery of four ancient 450lb battering rams shed new light on how Rome took command of the Mediterranean 2,000 years ago by smashing through Carthage's ships |
| 2021-09-01 |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #7 Skid, there's Roman art depicting rams, and it looks just like these. Specifically, there are coins showing the Rostra in the Forum in Rome -- a war memorial of sorts decorated with rams captured from Actium. Augustus had another one built on the other end of the Forum -- decorated with rams captured from Antony and Cleopatra's fleet. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2021-09-01 19:48 |
| #6 Looks like an interesting combination of both tools; I always picture a solid, possibly ornamental structure not something utilitarian as well. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-09-01 16:57 |
| #5 The Carthaginians were of Phoenician origin, originally a colony "Carthage" apparently means "New City". Which means "Cartegena" -- originally "Cartago Nova" -- means "New New City". Sadly, the chain was not carried on, and the New World namesake is merely "Cartegena". |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2021-09-01 12:26 |
| #4 Curious they are assumed to be rams. When I saw the shapes I immediately thought 'hydrofoil' to aid in planing. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2021-09-01 08:34 |
| #3 Oh, wow, like this is special. /sarc Naval warfare of this type had been going on for centuries. The real operational interest is that Rome began the First Punic War without a navy or any naval experience. The Romans would lose a number of fleets in the experience to their ascendancy by the end, just like they would lose a number of legions in the Second Punic War. The Carthaginians were of Phoenician origin, originally a colony, with a long history of participation in this type of naval warfare. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2021-09-01 07:18 |
| #2 Fourancient bronze battering rams — each weighing a colossal 450lbs "each equivalent to a large Walmart customer!" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2021-09-01 07:10 |
| #1 Love the collision damage on one of them. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2021-09-01 06:19 |