Article

2021-09-01 -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

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Posted by Skidmark 2021-09-01 01:41|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top

#1 Love the collision damage on one of them.

Posted by Rob Crawford 2021-09-01 06:19|| 2021-09-01 06:19|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 07:10|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 07:18|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 08:34|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 12:26|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 16:57|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2021-09-01 19:48|| Front Page Top

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