Roman Warships - Hardcover

Michael Pitassi

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1843836106 ISBN 13: 9781843836100

Publisher: Boydell Press, 2011

The Roman Imperial Navy was the most powerful maritime force ever to have existed, prior to the European naval development of relatively recent centuries. It secured the trade routes and maintained the communications that allowed the Roman Empire to exist. It brought previously untouchable and unreachable enemies to battle and enabled the expansion of Imperial power into areas thought hitherto inaccessible. In the Mediterranean its power was un-rivalled and its bases were to be found scattered around the coasts of Western Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. At the height of its power the Roman Navy employed tens of thousands of sailors, marines and craftsmen who manned and maintained a fleet of warships far larger than anything in existence today. And yet these warships, the very tools that allowed the Roman Navy to dominate the seas, have remained largely unstudied.Drawing upon archaeological evidence, documentary accounts and visual representations, this book seeks to chart the development and evolution of the Roman warship over eight centuries of naval activity. Using previously unpublished archaeological evidence this work re-interprets many original written accounts to present a groundbreaking study of maritime development.

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Review:

Combine[s] astute observation of the literary and material evidence with a trial-and-error practicality of constructing scale miniatures and an impressive knowledge of naval mechanics. THE HISTORIAN

This is a fascinating approach to take, and produces some very convincing reproductions of Roman warships. The model building stage proves to be more important than I would have though, eliminating some possible designs that looked practical on paper, and also gives Pitassi some excellent illustrations. This book comes highly recommended. www.historyofwar.org

Extremely valuable as a guide to approaching the reconstruction of part of the past. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARITIME HISTORY

It is always gratifying to read a text that is well written, unambiguous, and easy to follow, with meticulous, accurate, and up-to-date scholarship and bibliography. Pitassi has produced an admirable work on the Roman warship. [...] This book is recommended for the students of ancient warfare, maritime history, and Roman culture. DEREMILITARI.ORG

About the Author:

Michael Pitassi is an independent scholar.

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