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The Battleship "Caesar Bireme"

Tags: battleship | craft

A typical Roman fighting ship from around the year 30AD, the Caesar Bireme exhibits the mixture of Greek and Egyptian influences on roman vessels of the period, most notably the eyes on the bow and the deadly battering ram that could slice an enemy ship in two. It had relatively unsophisticated sails. For power the Bireme relied mainly on oars manned by slaves.

 

Text and images are provided by Tamkang University Maritime Museum