Ancient Roman Naval Weapon Recreated with Traditional Craftsmanship

Rapid Summary

• Archaeologists have successfully recreated a bronze naval ram used by ancient Greek and Roman warships during the Punic wars.
• Ancient naval battles featured these rams, designed to smash and sink enemy vessels.
• The team plans to test the reconstructed ram on replica warships to evaluate its effectiveness historically.
• Stephen decasien from dalian University of Technology highlighted the research’s potential in understanding warship evolution, ranging from Alexander the Great’s successors’ fleets to rome’s dominant naval power.

Image:
Caption: A ship’s ram found near Sicily that was used in the Punic wars.
Credit: Peter Horree/Alamy.