Post on 11-Jan-2016
description
Caesar and the Roman Caesar and the Roman NavyNavy
Katie WaltonKatie Walton
LATN 6030LATN 6030
Control of the English Control of the English ChannelChannel
Why cross the Channel?
Up to this point: Veneti
Battle of Morbihan
“No expedition across the channel could be contemplated with the fleet [of the Veneti] intact…”
De Bello Gallico 3.13De Bello Gallico 3.13
• Conflict at Morbihan
• Describes the ships of the Veneti in detail
•Flat bottomed
•High bows and sterns
•Oak
•Solid
55 BCE: Expedition to 55 BCE: Expedition to BritainBritain
• 80 onerariae
• 18 transports
• Naves Longae
• Scaphae/Speculatoria Navigia
• Later –Naves Actuariae & Vectoria Navigia
OnerariaeOnerariae• Used to transport two legions from
Gaul
• Large Sailing Vessels
Naves LongaeNaves LongaeTrireme
• Three levels of oars per side each pulled by one man
• 62 rowers on top level, 54 rowers on middle and lower levels
• Single ram: timber attached to cutwater at foot of bow ending in point 6-7ft from stern
Naves LongaeNaves Longae“Fours”
• 2 levels of oars with two men at each
• 88 oars
Naves LongaeNaves Longae“Fives”
• Three levels of oars
– two men per oar in two upper levels and one man per oar in lower level
• 300 oars
• 10ft deck
• 120 troops
Scaphae & Speculatoria Scaphae & Speculatoria NavigiaNavigia
• Used for scouting and reconnaissance
• Towed behind Onerariae
• Speculatoria Navigia– Oared – Specifically used for location and
interception– Venetian Blue
Naves Actuariae & Vectoria Naves Actuariae & Vectoria NavigiaNavigia
• “Romano-Celtic”Modeled on Veneti Ships
Developed after the storms
• Oared and Sailed
• Flat Bottomed
Naval TacticsNaval Tactics
• Ramming
• Snapping Oars
• Missiles
• Corvus
• Falx
CrewCrewFound on an inscription (describing a Greek “four”):• bow officer
– regulates strokes of oarsmen • helmsmen• shipwright• assistant helmsmen• 5 @ bow and 5 @ stern• 2 catapult-men• 6 archers• masseur• doctor• oar-binder• 20 deck soldiers• 28 military personnel
Bibliography
Caesar. Commentarii de Bello Gallico. 3.13.
Mason, David. Roman Britain and the Roman Navy. Charleston, SC: Tempus Publishing, 2003.
Morrison, J. S. Greek and Roman Oared Warships. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1996.
Peddie, John. The Roman War Machine. Gloucestershire: Allan Sutton Publishing Ltd., 1996.